A knight's life
by My tiny baby-blue tinted world
Summary: An Elmont/OC fic. Isla is Isabelle's older sister who was adopted as a baby by the king and queen, this is mostly about hers and Elmont's relationship and family, revolves slightly around the events in the movie. This is a bad summary but read anyway please.
1. Chapter 1

**I know there are quite a few fics like this out there, but it was an idea, let me know how it goes down… Enjoy:**

**Elmont POV:**

I watched as Jack and Isabelle hugged. They looked so happy and Isabelle didn't have to worry about Roderick anymore. It made me smile that my 'little sister' could now be happy, she caught me staring and smiled at me. She nodded at the doors into the castle urgently, my eyes widened as I caught on to her meaning. I pushed my way through the crowds and raced through the castle, eventually coming to a stop near the concealed tunnel to an underground chamber where the residents of the city hid in any crisis. I forwent a torch and regretted my decision almost immediately as I crashed down the tunnel, cursing occasionally when I bumped into a wall. I reached the door to this cavern finally and attempted to open it. The door was stiff thanks to years of unused, it must have taken so many people to get it open and closed before, but I was managing well enough on my own as it happened, only letting out the occasional grunt of effort.  
The door swung open after I had worked on it for a few minutes and revealed a huge domed cavern, illuminated with torches, they flickered in the air that went whooshing through the newly opened door. There were a few gasps when the door was opened and a few frightened whimpers from children, but once my eyes had become accustomed to the light change I found myself staring into the terrified faces of the population of Cloister. I surveyed the room, not losing my poker face- they must have been pretty scared since every single person refused to meet my eye. That is until a small boy with jet black hair and stormy blue eyes ran up to me.

"Father!"  
He screamed, jumped into my arms and wrapped his own tightly around my neck. I buried my face in my son's hair as best I could and kissed his little four year old cheek multiple times. I could fell the tears running down his face and his chest hitched against mine in a feeble little sob. I pulled his head away from me a little so I could look into his eyes, my eyes.

"Christian, what's wrong?"  
I asked gently. His tears only increased and he thrust his head back into my shoulder. I hugged him close and kissed the top of his head, letting him cry into my shoulder.  
Looking round, almost the whole population of the room had been watching us earnestly. They had begun smiling and a few of the older ones looked emotional and close to tears.

"John!"  
I whipped round to the direction of the almost strangled cry to see my wife fighting her way through the crowd.

"Isla…"  
I whispered, relief seeping into my body.  
My face relaxed into a smile at the sight of her, well and unharmed and at the sight of her middle which was slightly swollen with our second child. She had obviously been crying if the tear tracks down her face were anything to go by and her puffy eyes framing those deep brown eyes I loved so much. She smiled at me, hesitantly, but obviously filled with relief before choking out my name again and running over to me. I dropped an arm from around my son's body to pull her into me. She didn't resist and I let her sob into my other shoulder. I kissed her snowy temple gently and rested my face against her jet black hair, inhaling her scent of apples and wildflowers. She pulled away from me slightly and ran a finger from my hairline to the start of my goatee, tracing the outline of my features gently.

Isla Sarah Elmont was the adopted oldest child of the king of Cloister and ten years older than Isabelle, the king and former queen. They had adopted her from her dying highland grandmother as a tiny baby when they thought they couldn't have children. Ten years later Isabelle came along, and eight years after that the queen fell pregnant again, both the king and her hoped for a boy but when the child was born, the queen died, the child, a boy, also died within hours. I remember spending hours consoling both Isabelle and Isla. This was six years before we were married.

"I was so scared John. We heard something big coming close to us and, I didn't think it would miss us, John I thought I was never going to see you again."  
She whispered. Her voice brought me out of my reverie and I just managed to cover my shock and attempted to reassure her with a swift, tender kiss to her full blood red lips.

"I'm alright. I promise you. And that big thing is dead. There is no doubt about that, your sister and father are safe and you and Christian are safe, that's all that matters to me."  
She gave me a watery smile and a few more tears ran down her cheeks. She looked at me seriously with her heavily lashed dark eyes.

"John, why are you all wet?"  
I chuckled lightly and kissed her again.

"I was in the moat."  
She looked confused and like she was going to question it again.

"I'll tell you everything later."  
She smiled and I kissed her again. Christian made a noise of disapproval from my other shoulder. Both Isla and I looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Yucky."  
He sniffed, still a little tearful. Both his mother and I smiled at each other before peppering his cheeks with kisses. He squealed and struggled against my arm. We pulled away from him, still smiling. We turned to the assembled people and I addressed them while Isla clung to my waist and just rested her head on my shoulder.

"Everything is safe now. You may leave this cavern and go up above to the city. Be warned though, our recent invasion caused much damage but orders are being put in place for temporary shelters and conveniences while everything is re-built."  
The people bustled past me and my family to fit through the door and get back up to the surface, a lot of the citizens thanked Isla as they went past and a few thanked me. Once we were relatively alone I turned back to my wife.

"What were all the thanks about?"  
I asked quietly.

"I expect the thanks to you were for you obvious services in ridding Cloister of those terrible giants, and I kept people calm and offered comfort while we were stuck down here."  
A modest grin graced her features and I smiled brilliantly at her.

"What did I ever do to deserve you?"  
I whispered, before kissing her quickly again and turning to go back down the tunnel that led to the surface. Quite a few of the people had taken the torches from the cavern and lit the tunnel so the way could be clearly seen, this lit the way well.

"John, did you not bring a torch when you came down before?"  
She asked, amusedly.

"No, I was just so anxious to see you both that I didn't really want to waste time with a torch. And I'll have to come down here to extinguish all of these later."  
I half groaned. Isla laughed and tightened her arms around my waist.

"Well it won't take you too long. And I don't want you to gone for long. You've been away on a stressful and dangerous mission and you're sure to be up early to help with the re-building. You need some time to re-wind with your family."  
I smiled. Wise woman.

"I don't plan on spending time away from my family. You sent me on that mission I hope you remember."  
She chuckled guiltily. She was the one who had begged me to go after Isabelle. True, I was the princess' protector, but she was also my little sister and I knew what she was like and when she needed her own space, when she couldn't be found in the city walls anywhere Isla had been almost frantic. I had finally calmed her and assured her I would find her, but it had taken me hours and a stinging slap to my cheek before she had calmed down completely.

"I really do hate it when you're in a bad mood I hope you know."  
She leaned her head against my shoulder.

"I know, and I'm sorry about the other morning. I'll make it up to you later."  
I smiled knowingly at her promise.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. I blame hormones if they exist."  
She laughed her twinkly laugh and turned her head to kiss my cheek.

"Oh they exist I assure you. Now where's Belle? I want to see my little sister again."  
I chuckled and led her to where Isabelle was talking to her father. Her eyes lit up when she saw Isla over his shoulder and Isla gasped and dropped her arms from around my waist to run to her younger sister.  
They embraced each other tightly and I could tell Isla was in tears again. Isabelle looked up from where her head was buried in Isla's long wavy hair and smiled at me, I smiled back and she buried her head again.

Christian had calmed down significantly now but he still had no intention of letting his grip on my neck slacken in the slightest. I sat down on a step, not far from Isabelle and Isla and pried him off me. He looked up at me from my lap with puffy red eyes.

"So my lad, did you look after your mother like I said?"  
He nodded earnestly and I smiled.

"Good. Are you tired?"  
He nodded.

"Well we'll have dinner and then you can go to sleep, it's getting rather late."  
I smiled. And Christian smiled back before assuming his previous position on my shoulder.  
Isla wandered up to us, smiling brightly. She pulled me up by my free hand and I wrapped it around her shoulders again. The king saw us and wandered over.

"Elmont, were you planning on staying?"  
I considered for a moment but then remembered Christian falling asleep on my shoulder and Isla's current condition.

"I'm afraid not Sire, Christian needs to sleep and I would rather Isla be indoors, the weather isn't very warm and she has just been trapped underground for a time."  
The king nodded and regarded his grandson with fond eyes.

"Alright, are you coming back at any time?"  
He asked, pressing me for the answer I knew he wanted.

"I will be back, once Christian is asleep and settled. I need to extinguish the torches in the underground tunnel and get rotas sorted for tomorrow, not to mention all the preliminary work that needs to be done."  
The king nodded and waved us on our way. When we were out of his sight Isla stopped us walking and turned to me.

"I thought you said you only had to do the torches? Where did all the other jobs come from?"  
She asked in disbelief.

"Well they're what need to be done. Don't worry they won't take me long at all. And I can work out a rota at home."  
She nodded entirely unconvinced.

"Just make sure you're home before midnight."  
She sighed. I kissed the top of her head and we carried on walking. Our home was on the opposite side of the castle to the entrance to the city. A fact I was now grateful for as it had sustained nearly no damage, there were only a few broken window panes and some fallen debris crowding our way, but largely there was nothing remotely dangerous near.  
I held the door open for Isla and she took Christian off me and went to find something to eat. I built up the fire and joined them in the kitchen. Christian was waking up now but still looked very tired. There was a nasty bruise on the side of his cheek that I hadn't noticed before.

"Isla, what happened to him?"  
I exclaimed, sitting down at his side and gently examining his face. Isla came to sit on Christian's other side, she looked a little apprehensive and like she was hiding something. I eyed her, very concerned.

"It was Roderick."  
She finally whispered. My eyes bulged and I turned my attention back to my son's face, before flicking my gaze back and forward between my wife's face and my son's.

"Before you left, he was playing and ran into Roderick. Roderick took it for insolence and slapped him. I saw it and screamed at him but he just threatened to have you sent away and that I would 'lose the baby in an accident' so of course I stopped creating a fuss and left it."  
She regarded Christian with regretful eyes and kissed the top of his head before looking up at me again, one hand had travelled to her stomach protectively.

"Where is Roderick?"  
I took my eyes off Christian's cheek for a second to take in her slightly confused expression.

"Not with us."  
I answered hollowly. It took Isla a moment to process this.

"You didn't…"  
She whispered. I nodded, not meeting her eyes.

"John, why? I know you never liked him, but really?"  
She sounded a little distraught now.

"He betrayed your father; he was the one leading the giants' invasion. He was planning to murder Isabelle once they were married so he could have the throne. Isla he was power mad!"  
I heard her gasp in shock and continued in little more than a whisper.

"And he and Wicke killed six of my men."  
Isla stood and came to stand beside me. She crouched down so she was at my level.

"I had no idea…"  
I turned to look at her, she looked well and truly disturbed now.

"Neither did I until Jack told me. Crawe had to calm me down quite a bit so I wouldn't attack him as soon as we got onto firm ground."  
I hadn't realised how much my voice had faltered in that last sentence but Isla seemed to realise what had happened up there. She stood and slid her arms around my shoulders. I leaned into her, seeking the comfort I needed in silence. I broke away from her first and just looked up into her bottomless eyes. She seemed to be as upset as I was at the loss of my oldest friend and mentor in a way since he was almost a decade older than me.

"Thank you."  
She whispered. My brow furrowed slightly.

"For going after Isabelle, I know you get extremely frustrated with doing it so often. And I suppose for sorting out Roderick."  
She smiled and I returned it.

"Now, who's Jack?"  
She asked, her grin had gotten wider and a mischievous glint had appeared in her eyes.

"That is better left for Isabelle to explain. Do you want some help?"  
She nodded and I stood to help her, leaving Christian alone in the kitchen.  
As soon as we were alone she fastened the pantry door and backed me up into it.

"I've missed you so much."  
She whispered, tears filling her eyes again.

"I've missed you too."  
I smiled and slid my hands around her waist while hers looped around my neck delicately.  
I closed the gap between us quickly and kissed her properly, like I'd been wanting to since I saw her earlier. Her mouth moved perfectly against mine and her fingers ventured up to tangle in my hair and pull me closer, my arms around her waist tightened but she pulled away suddenly, I looked at her with a puzzled expression on my face.

"The little one obviously missed you too."  
She smiled, I grinned back and moved a hand from the small of her back to her stomach. One of her hands guided mine to where a slight fluttering had started again. I grinned at her brilliantly and spun her round so her back was pressed against my front. Both my hands were now resting on her stomach.

"You are without a doubt the most amazing. Beautiful. Cleverest. Gentlest. Most loving person I have ever met and I still can't fathom why you're married to me."  
I punctuated every characteristic with a kiss to her neck, she moaned when I rested my mouth against her pulse point and carried on talking.

"I don't think all that's entirely true."  
She gasped. A chuckle rumbled from deep in my chest and she shivered.

"All true, I swear."  
I whispered, still attached to her neck. She let out a strangled moan when I sucked the skin gently her hands came up to tangle around my neck and in my hair again.

"I love you."  
She whispered a little breathlessly. I smiled and kissed her neck again before pulling back to study her profile. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was hanging slightly open.

"I love you too."  
I whispered and kissed her mouth gently.

"Now Christian will be wondering where we are."  
She grudgingly murmured and moved out of my arms to grab a plate off one of the shelves. I followed suit and we opened the door to find our son standing there with his arms crossed and tears flowing down his face steadily. I crouched down and looked at him, now extremely concerned. He shied away from me and ran to the bottom of the stairs. I attempted to follow him after putting my plate on the kitchen table but he refused to let me near him.

"You're no better than the bad man! He hurt mother and you did too! I hate you!"  
He screamed at me. I stood at the bottom of the stairs completely paralysed with shock. Behind me I heard Isla's strangled gasp as my son disappeared round the corner of the stairs , probably to go into his room. I turned to my wife, completely stunned.

"He must have heard us, that door isn't very thick…"  
She attempted and turned away from me. But I strode over and caught her arm. The flinch she tried to disguise didn't go unnoticed by me at all.

"Isla, tell me he wasn't talking about Roderick…"  
I almost begged her but she couldn't meet my eyes.

"Isla!"  
I did say her name a little sharply I have to admit but I needed an answer.

"He was…"  
My heart dropped to my feet at the tears that appeared in her eyes. I opened my arms and she hurtled into them and clutched my chest tightly. I returned with an iron grip protectively around her.

"What happened? I want the full story…"  
I whispered when her tears had subsided slightly. She pulled her head back slightly and looked into my eyes and nodded hesitantly.

**So how was it? More to follow I think so please review…**


	2. Chapter 2

**I forgot to mention this in the first Chapter's AN, but if anyone has any ideas for a new title for this they would be greatly appreciated, I cringe every time I read this one. PM me if you do, please, I beg you.**

**Enjoy:**

**Isla POV:**

John took me to sit down on the couch in front of the fire he had recently built up and looked at me encouragingly, but I could see the fury lying beneath that concerned gaze, the fury that he badly wanted to let out, fury against Roderick for his many crimes.

He was very protective, if not a little overprotective, of Christian and I, When we were first married he refused to let me walk in the town on my own despite the fact he knew very well I had gone on many midnight walks in my late teenage years.

The first time he had seen a bruise from Roderick I had managed to pass it off as a fall into a torch bracket, Roderick had heard this explanation and since then had hurt me in places that wouldn't be seen. He only did this because I was the king's oldest child, or as Roderick put it the one the royal couple had taken pity on and taken in, he thought I had no right to the high ranking of princess since I was nothing but a commoner really, in private he frequently expressed his beliefs that I was a harlot and a slut, therefore in his opinion it was alright for him to abuse me. He wasn't technically doing anything illegal because I wasn't related by blood to the king and Isabelle, and he would know the law, he was the highest ranking a person could get. The physical abuse stopped as soon as John and I married when he was twenty five and I was twenty four, but emotional abuse had started then. I had returned home one day, a few months after my marriage and flung myself into the bath, attempting to drown myself I was so upset. John had come home and found me, unconscious and weak. He had been almost frantic and had demanded I tell him what was wrong. I couldn't tell him since Roderick had threatened to have him sent away if I told, so I fed him lies for years about why I was so upset some of the time, most of the time it was that I was missing my mother, he seemed to accept this and we didn't talk about it.

Almost a year after my suicide attempt Roderick told me he wanted me to sway the king's opinion in favour of his marrying Isabelle once she turned twenty. I was completely reluctant but I was pregnant at the time and extremely vulnerable to threats, the favourite was that I would 'have an unfortunate accident', This upset me more than ever because it wasn't just the baby I would lose, I could almost see John's heartbroken face when he heard I had had a miscarriage and I had no intention of that becoming a reality so I went along with Roderick's foul wishes. John never found out and it had torn me apart lying to him.

Christian however was my saving grace, when he was born I stayed at home with him, only leaving the house to visit Isabelle or my father, or with John as an escort for a walk. The abuse was only limited to the almost non-existent times I didn't have Christian and was alone, but now he could hit me again, as long as it was small it could be passed off as an unaware baby's doing, John came home one day and I had a small but painful bruise on the side of my face along my jawbone, John had questioned it but I had told him Christian had head butted me whilst I was tickling him. The minimal abuse continued like this, every opportunity he got Roderick would manipulate me to do his will. It eventually paid off and Roderick got his wish. The guilt I felt about almost crushed me and I spent hours crying into John's chest that Isabelle didn't love him and he was going to hurt her. John agreed to talk to my father; his opinion would be taken seriously as he was Isabelle's protector and technically his son in law. Father's decision was re-thought and written over. Roderick was furious and I was elated beyond words. His fury about this change of plans meant he didn't stop when he cornered me a few days later, Christian was with Isabelle and at three years old now, saw more than we thought.  
Roderick had backed me against a wall in a secluded alcove on one of the lower floors of the castle, he had pulled my hair so hard I screamed, but that earned me a stinging slap. I think he had been planning this torture since Father had re-thought his decision since it was the most brutal he had ever gone. I had silent tears coursing down my cheeks by the end, feeling thoroughly embarrassed and broken I returned to where Isabelle was playing with my son in her chambers.  
I think the real torture was carefully planned out so I wouldn't experience it there and then, but at home, the one place I felt safe and happy. He had brutally bruised my stomach and the tops of my thighs, I couldn't let John see them so I had to feign illness so he wouldn't. He was made captain and the bruises still hadn't gone so I had to refuse his affections, the look of heart break that had spread across his features was almost too much, I almost told him there and then what was going on but Roderick's threats against my family deterred me and I kept silent. John's reward came days later when the bruises had gone down, we had gone for a walk in the evening to a little clearing close to the city and ate a picnic supper there before celebrating like he had wanted to under the stars. When we had returned Roderick was waiting and I fought not to meet his gaze. He wouldn't have done anything in front of John anyway but he did say things. Only I noticed the tone and the underlying meanings of; "We wouldn't want anything to happen to her now would we…", "She is so important to many…" Or the very worst, "There are a lot of bad people out there…"  
I had to fight not to shudder at his words, but John eventually realised I was clinging to his tunic tighter than I normally would and turned a curious eye to me. I brushed him off by saying it was cold and I was a little tired. This he acknowledged and took me home with speed, something I was grateful for because it was away from malicious eyes.

John's light touch on my cheek snapped me out of my thoughts with a jump, he looked really concerned and I realised I hadn't been looking at him, I had been staring into the fire but for how long I don't know.

"Isla, tell me what happened?"  
He asked gently, more tears threatened to leak from my eyes at his gentle tone and I clenched my hands tighter in my lap. John's finger slipped carefully under my chin and brought my gaze up to meet his. I couldn't tell him everything could I? He would hate me for it. Isabelle would hate me for it even more. Father would be disappointed and I don't think I could handle the looks on their faces once they all found out. I met his gaze, those eyes seemed to look straight through me, seemed to pierce my soul. He wasn't angry, if he was angry they would be more grey than blue, but right now they were clear blue and sparkling in the firelight. He was simply a concerned husband whose wife had managed to work herself into such a state. I took a few breaths to calm myself before relaying the whole story. John sat there in shock while I told him everything.  
Once I had finished, his stunned expression didn't disappear and he didn't say a word. One of his hands had found mine partway through my recounting and the gentle yet firm grip he had on it hadn't wavered at all.  
I squeezed his hand, still nothing.

"John say something please…"  
I whispered, his eyes snapped back to mine and his expression relaxed a bit.

"How did I not notice this? Why didn't you tell me?"  
He whispered, tears appeared in my eyes at his tone, I had never heard one so defeated.

"I didn't want anything to happen to you, Christian or the baby."  
I replied. He tugged me onto his lap where I curled up and drew patterns on his shoulder. He hadn't taken his armour off since we got home so that made things a little difficult.

"You sounded quite upset when I told you he didn't come back with us."  
He whispered, his arms slid around me protectively and one of his hands came to rest on my stomach as if assuring the baby all was fine.

"He threatened a while ago when I wanted to expose him that if anything happened to him there were people he paid to make sure revenge was taken out, an eye for an eye type deal."  
I murmured, John nodded.

"Well if he's dead he won't be able to pay them so I'm alright on that front."  
I could hear the slight amusement in his voice and it made me smile.

"You didn't tell me about what happened to Christian and how he knew that Roderick hurt you."  
He pressed gently. I sighed and carried on.

_Flashback_

"_Mother look! I'm a dragon!"  
Christian's joyful shout echoed around the corridors of the quiet castle, everyone was getting ready to go after Isabelle and to investigate what the huge vine like growth that had erupted over night was. I smiled fondly after my son as he ran up the corridor with his arms outstretched, pretending to fly. A small chuckle escaped my throat every time he pretended to breathe fire and set something alight. The baby curled inside my stomach kicked its approval of its older brother's antics, this made me smile even more, the only thing that could make it more perfect was if John was here and I was wrapped in his arms. I sighed as my thoughts drifted to my husband, he was in the stables getting his horse ready and bossing his men about. There were times when he acted so much older than his actual thirty years, those times infuriated me more than I could say, but he would be serious and iron-willed if he wanted. But then again, the times when he wasn't, they were bliss and lead to the most memorable moments of our marriage. I smiled at the memories and I'm sure my cheeks flushed slightly.  
My reverie was broken at my son's cry. I ran up the corridor as best I could to find Lord Roderick, my father's most trusted advisor clutching my son by his shoulder. This was obviously too tight a grip because Christian was squirming to get free and tears started appearing in his eyes. I rushed forward to pry Roderick's hand from its death grip on my son. It relinquished and Christian looked tearfully at me. I drew him into my body and wrapped my arms around his little frame while he tried valiantly not to cry. Roderick laughed and crouched down near me. Christian pulled away and glared at the man crouching near us._

"_Not his father's son if he cries at things like that is he…"  
Roderick chuckled maliciously. I hugged Christian tighter._

"_I wouldn't be surprised if dear Mrs Elmont had been running around while her darling husband's not around."  
I flinched and kissed the top of Christian's head, as much to comfort myself as it was to comfort him. When Christian showed signs of getting back to normal I stood and he clung to my hand. Roderick regarded us with a certain level of distain._

"_Do you teach your child no manners?"  
He sneered. I raised an eyebrow and he reached forward and slapped my boy on the cheek. Christian cried out and his hands flew to his cheek. I rounded on Roderick, absolutely furious now._

"_He's just a child! You're a monster."  
I spat, Roderick grabbed my bicep and thrust me against the wall. He wouldn't do anything in front my son which was a relief. But the grip he had on my arm was sure to leave a bruise._

"_A fact you know well enough."  
He said loud enough for Christian to hear._

"_Dispute me again and you can watch your naïve husband's face fall when you lose that child you're so excited about in a terrible accident. Or you can wave goodbye to him after you've had the child and he gets sent off somewhere where you won't see him."  
My breath hitched in a pathetic sob and Roderick let me go._

"_Teach your child about insolence by the time I get back."  
He snapped and stalked off. I leant against the wall with my eyes shut tight in an attempt to calm myself down._

"_Mother, are you alright?"  
Christian's voice floated up to me and my eyes opened slowly. There were tear tracks down his face and he looked very scared._

"_I'm alright. Now let's go and get you cleaned up…"  
I bent to pick him up but he ran into me and wrapped his arms around my thigh._

"_Is Rosie ok?"  
He asked innocently, a few days ago he had become adamant that the new baby was going to be a girl, John was ecstatic and I was over the moon, we didn't really care what the baby was but a girl would be fantastic. Just like a little doll that I could dress up. And John would have a little princess to spoil rotten just like he did with Christian. The favourite name was Rosalie at the moment and it was only Christian who referred to his unborn sibling by name which made us smile every time. I grinned down at him and nodded._

"_The baby is all fine my sweet, now come on, we will have to hurry and get you cleaned up if we want to see your father off."  
He nodded but instead of letting go of my thigh straight away he kissed the palm of his hand and placed it on my stomach. I smiled brilliantly down at him, he couldn't wait to be an older brother and he would be fantastic as one, he already was in a sense. He lifted his arms up to me and I picked him up, hugging him tightly as we made our way to Isabelle's chambers. She wouldn't mind me cleaning her nephew up in there. When I was examining Christian's cheek which was just starting to bruise he surprised me with a question I didn't think he would ever ask._

"_Mother?"  
I hummed in response._

"_Did that bad man hurt you?"  
I looked at him in shock._

"_Only on my arm darling."  
He shook his head._

"_No I mean before."  
My eyes grew wider and Christian took that as a partial yes but I couldn't just leave it at that._

"_Yes he did. For a long time."  
Christian looked shocked and like he was going to cry again._

"_But you saved me. He didn't hurt me anymore once you came along."  
I whispered and kissed his nose. This made him smile and hug me round the neck._

"_Good. I'm glad Father doesn't hurt you, it scares me."  
He whispered. I smiled more._

"_Your father would never hurt me, you or the baby. He loves us all so much."  
Christian nodded and kissed my cheek when I lifted him up again._

"_I hope that bad man never hurts you again."  
I smiled at him and we made our way down to the market where the massive party leaving Cloister was setting off from._

_End Flashback._

John had been silent throughout everything and I could feel how tense he had gotten underneath me. Almost every muscle was tight in fury.

"Can you wake Christian up? I'm going to go and see to the things I have to do in town, I won't be long."  
He eventually whispered I kissed him on the cheek and slid off his lap. Christian would not react well to him right now. He stood and caught my hand to pull me back into him.

"We'll talk properly about this when I get back."  
I nodded.

"I love you Isla, so much."  
He whispered and kissed me soundly on the mouth but so gently I thought I might melt.

"I love you too.  
I whispered back. We clung to each other for a while longer, not saying anything, just staring into each other's eyes in perfect contentment.

**I'm not quite sure Roderick was ever such an asshole but I was in a bad mood when I wrote this and I don't like the character anyway, that's a bad combination.  
But please review, there's a few more chapters I have planned but it might go along the lines of relevant flashbacks…**


	3. Chapter 3

**Elmont POV:**

I stalked through the wrecked city, there were some of his men and the others in the king's service working to get things straightened out as best they could in the dark, I could also spot some of the citizens helping. There was going to be a lot of work needed to get the city back to what it was. Sighing, I passed a few of my men working on the line of shops that contained the butcher and baker and others like that.  
The castle was one of the projects higher up the list. The biggest problem was how to get the beanstalk out. And also the various body parts, but that would be left to higher authorities to decide later on, that was the job nobody wanted and we were all dreading when it was decided. The king was in his throne room surveying the damage with some advisors. They were deep in conversation when I entered so I hung back around the door until they had finished. There seemed to be a difference of opinion about something. The king was getting slightly annoyed and turned round, as if searching for reasoning. His expression became less frustrated when he saw me. He beckoned me forward and I moved to his side.

"Elmont, there is a difference of opinion about how to remove this growth."  
The king explained the situation, telling me that he didn't want any more mess in the castle than necessary but his advisor was insisting the beanstalk was blown up. The king wanted the beanstalk cut down carefully but that was as far as his idea had gone.  
I thought about this predicament for a while, both older men regarded me with critical.

"Your majesty is right; less mess would certainly help the re-building. But cutting the stalk down would take quite a while and many men."  
The two men in front of me looked slightly put out at my opinion, but I wasn't done yet.

"However, if I lead a team of men up there we can set up a pulley system that would bring the severed pieces down creating almost no extra damage, also the pieces can be used as fire wood for the furnaces I've seen being created outside, leaving the wood reserves free and untouched."  
The advisor looked furious at me but the king was happy. He nodded and turned back to the problem.

"You will take a team of men up there at first light then. As soon as you finish you may return home to your family, I know how much of an impact your absence had on Isla."  
I nodded but was immediately curious about what he had said. Isla hadn't mentioned anything like that, only that she had missed me, I made a mental note to question what the king meant later, but for now I had other problems to see too.  
The air down the tunnel to the cavern was near freezing now, well it was dark outside already so it shouldn't really surprise me much. The cavern needed a quick scout around to check for lost items and to make sure it was still sound. There was another tunnel on the far side that led to a nearby mountain range, it wound round for miles underground and was infuriating to traverse, the last time I had been down it was to make sure it was still secure when I was a corporal, it was due for another check soon I think. There were no obvious signs or weakness, except a few cracks I would have to get sorted but they could wait another few weeks. Once my check was complete I rounded on the entrance again but it was blocked by a shadowy figure.

"Can I help you?"  
I called out tentatively. The figure didn't answer but advanced further into the cavern. I fought to gasp as he stepped into the light, it was the advisor who had been talking to the king earlier, the one my opinion had undermined.

"Good evening SIR Elmont."  
Of course he would exaggerate my title, I was of a lower class than him so he must be smarting slightly.

"Good evening Lord Thomas. Do you require my help?"  
I asked politely, praying he didn't. This was one of the men in Cloister I could not abide. He had had his eyes on Isla since she turned sixteen and when we got engaged he disappeared for a few weeks and when he came back he would do everything in his power to steal me away in the time I could spend with her, just to do some menial task that could have waited or been given to another. It infuriated us to no end, but as he was of a higher rank than me in society I had to do as I was told.

"No, but I require an answer my boy. Where is Lord Roderick? Why did he not return?"  
I gulped, almost indiscernible in the light. But he rounded on me anyway with accusing eyes.

"Lord Roderick was left up in Gantua. His obsession was his downfall and he met his end and the hands of a giant."  
This was partially true, I couldn't be sure when Roderick had actually died but it seemed better to tell this version.

"Funny, I was told you stayed up there to confront him, the true story of Lord Roderick's demise now, if you please."  
He walked towards me. I didn't back down, was he one of these people who Roderick had to act upon his 'eye for an eye' compensation plan? Lord knows this particular official would be all too glad to be rid of me.

"I don't exactly know when Roderick died, therefore I don't know of his killer, true I did confront him but he would not have lasted long after one of the giants picked him of the ground. He was tossed around like a doll, no man's body would be able to stand that beating."  
Lord Thomas didn't look too happy about this. He came closer to me.

"Your lovely wife came to the camp, the day the giant fell from up there. Your son was terrified, is he really yours boy?"  
I flinched at the way he drawled lovely and my heart clenched painfully at the doubt about my son's parentage. It was true that quite a few people thought this very same thought, but he wasn't even five yet, he was allowed to be vulnerable and have less of a hold on his emotions. I personally thought it was unfair of the people who doubted him, one they expected him to be a miniature version myself, which he was in many ways than I cared to count, and two, they doubted Isla's faithfulness and that hurt quite a bit. The first time someone had said something she almost burst into tears and I had almost knocked the man unconscious. My attention was drawn back to the present by a tentative couch from the other occupant of the room. He looked quite smug, like the pensive expression on my face was his doing with his statement.

"I'm quite sure he is my son. He acts exactly like I did at his age."  
This managed to wipe the victorious look off his face.

"Still, I have to act upon the deed Lord Roderick charged me with. You have ruined many plans by boy."  
He advanced on me, but as I was a good twenty years younger than him it was easy for me to skirt around him and out of the door. The heavy door slammed shut and I made my way back through the castle, extinguishing the torches as I went. The king would need to know about his betrayal but he could wait until morning to be dealt with. I felt bad for the king, two of his most trusted confidants had turned on him in the space of a few days, both of whom had been after his daughters at some point. Sighing, I left the tunnel and made for home again.

The house was quiet when I crept back in the door. Nothing had been touched downstairs and the fire was dying down slightly. I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight so I went to re-build it. I sat back on my heels once I had done and just stared at the flames. There was no noise coming from upstairs, Isla and Christian must have fallen asleep waiting for me. The void in my stomach reminded me painfully of how hungry I really was, ruefully I stood and turned to the kitchen but jumped slightly at the sight behind me. My wife was lying on her side, curled on the couch. One arm was pillowed under her head and the other was lying across her stomach. She looked so peaceful in her sleep, like no one would even dream of hurting her like Roderick had done. She looked like the innocent eighteen year old I had carried back to her bed after she fell asleep on me, tired out from crying too much over her mother's death. Her eyelids fluttered slightly and she sighed in her sleep. I smiled and knelt beside her, she wouldn't wake up tonight I don't think, Isla was such a heavy sleeper if she was tired. I smiled and leaned forward to kiss her cheek she shifted in her sleep and a dainty smile drifted across her lips. I spent a while just watching her sleep, my thumb absentmindedly stroking her soft cheek. A small sniffling sound came from the stairs, I stood and whipped round to find my son staring at me. I gestured for him to come over to me but he shook his head and backed further round the corner.

I groaned, kissed Isla again on her rosy lips and stood. Christian was sat on the bottom of the stairs huddled in on himself. I sat down next to him and trapped him against the wall with my arms. He looked absolutely terrified and it broke my heart.

"Christian, why did you think I was hurting your mother?"  
He didn't look into my eyes so one of my hands came round to guide his face gently so he would look at me.

"Tell me?"  
I pressed gently.

"I got told that when you two go somewhere alone and shut the door then…"  
He drifted off but I understood what he meant.

"Who was it who told you this?"  
I pressed gently.

"Lord Thomas."  
He whispered. Of course it would have been him.

"But mother said you would never hurt her or me or Rosie."  
He protested weakly. I shook my head.

"I would never dream of hurting any of you. Lord Thomas was lying to you Christian. He lied to you because he doesn't like me."  
He looked confused.

"You'll understand when you're older. You didn't hear us before did you?"  
I asked. Christian had shuffled closer to me and was leaning his head against my side. My arms had found their way around him in a comforting embrace.

"I heard mother make a strange noise."  
He admitted. I smiled slightly.

"Ignore it. You'll understand that when you're older too."  
I chuckled. Christian wriggled out of my arms and stood next to me with his arms outstretched. I took that as a hint and picked him up, holding him close.

"Where did you go just now?"  
He asked gently. I took him into the kitchen and set him down in a chair.

"I went to go and see grandpa. I needed to talk to him about how to get the huge tree out of the castle."  
He nodded and I put some food on his plate. He must have been hungry since he went at it with vigour.

"How are you getting it out then?"  
He asked round a mouthful.

"Don't talk with your mouth full young man, and slow down, or you'll make yourself ill."  
He nodded and slowed his pace.

"I'm going to climb it tomorrow with some other people and set up something so it can be taken apart easily."  
He nodded and I helped myself to food.

"Can I come up too?"  
He asked bouncing up and down in his seat. I grinned at him and thought it over for a while.

"You can. But when I say you have to go down you have to go down."  
He nodded and grinned brilliantly.

"Is mother not eating?"  
He asked innocently.

"Not at the moment. She's sleeping."  
He nodded and put a finger to his lips. I nodded but couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my throat.

"Christian, why do you keep calling the baby Rosie? We don't know if it is a girl yet."  
The question had been plaguing me since we had picked the name shortly after he had announced it was a girl.

"I heard mother talking to Auntie Belle. She said it felt different than when it was me."  
I nodded. Isla had voiced her concerns that the baby wasn't as big as Christian was.

"I see your point. Your eavesdropping is going to get you into trouble one of these days my lad."  
I smiled across at him and got a cheeky looking reply from over a roll of bread.

"But you enjoy hearing what I find though."  
I chuckled and stood.

"That I do son. But be a little more careful about what you listen to. And don't tell your mother."  
He grinned up at me once I reached his chair. And placed my hands on his shoulders.

"Are you tired?"  
I asked him. He shook his head.

"Alright. Shall we wake your mother?"  
He shook his head again.

"Well what do you want to do then?"  
He thought for a while before looking back up at me, grinning widely.

"Play!"  
He cheered. I shushed him but nodded.

"Alright play it is. But we have to stay down here because I want to watch your mother."  
He nodded and lifted his arms up to me. I picked him up and we went upstairs to find some things to bring back down.  
Christian finally settled on his soldiers, a dragon and a couple of books. He definitely wasn't tired. We spent a few hours playing with the soldiers and the dragon, lying on our fronts in front of the fire. Christian seemed to tire though and sometime just before midnight we decided it would be a good idea to go onto the books. He curled up in my lap against the soft black tunic I wore under my armour and leather vest, I had dispensed with all of that when we had gone upstairs.  
His head started drooping a little after almost an hour and I carried on reading in almost a whisper. This was a proven tactic to get him to fall asleep. Usually Isla had to read to him over and over and over again, each time getting slightly quieter so he would eventually drift off, however I seemed to be finding myself doing it more and more times now since she was normally exhausted by the end of the day. When I felt his head finally flop against my chest I closed the book and gently dropped it on the floor. He didn't stir so I re-arranged him on my lap so I could see his face. The bruise Roderick had given him was clear in the firelight, the only thing marring his perfect little face, so innocent in sleep. He looked so much like Isla when he was like this, their mouths relaxed in the same way and their noses tended to crinkle occasionally if they were dreaming. I brushed a lock of hair back out of his face and he wriggled closer to me.

Isla's hand on my shoulder broke me out of my study of my son with a slight jump. She was stood next to my chair, still looking tired but absolutely radiant in the firelight. She lowered herself onto the chair arm and brushed a kiss to my temple before slipping an arm round my shoulders and leaning her head against mine. We watched our son sleep for a while until her stomach grumbled quietly. I chuckled and stood, still holding Christian tightly but Isla almost fell onto the chair we had just been sitting on. I grabbed her arm and pulled her up again, she really must be tired.

"How long have you been awake for?"  
I whispered, she was stood less than a few millimetres away from me and Christian but both my arms were now holding my son to me.

"Not long, I heard you finish the last book, are you going to put him to bed?"  
I nodded and kissed her forehead.

"Go and eat, I need to talk to you about something."  
She groaned.

"Isla, we need to talk about this, and I discovered something while I was out before."  
She nodded reluctantly and kissed Christian's temple and then mine before vanishing into the kitchen. I watched her go and then took Christian upstairs. He was still wearing the clothes he had been all day so getting him changed without waking him up would be a challenge.

I returned downstairs a while later to find Isla picking up things Christian and I had been playing with earlier.

"Isla, I'll do that, you sit down. How much have you eaten?"  
She looked at me with laughter dancing in her eyes. Somehow it always managed to amuse her when I got concerned about her.

"John, I'm fine. Now what did you want to talk to me about?"  
I sat on the floor near the hearth and leaned on the armchair.

"Come down here and I'll tell you."  
I smiled up at her. She lowered herself to the floor and settled herself between my legs leaning on my chest.

"You do know I feel incredibly guilty about everything…"  
She murmured. I laced her hands with mine and kissed her cheek.

"You shouldn't. You didn't really have a choice, he threatened your family, it's what anyone would have done. But Isla, you know you told me Roderick had men who would act on his death?"  
She hummed in response.

"Lord Thomas is locked in the underground cavern."  
She gasped.

"John! Why?"  
I slipped my hands out of hers and round her.

"He tried to carry out the task he had apparently been charged with."  
Isla groaned.

"Well it would be him wouldn't it."  
She chuckled and I tightened my arms.

"I feel sorry for Father."  
She whispered.

"As do I. He could do without any more worries at the moment."  
We sat in silence for a few minutes.

"I take it you talked to Christian then?"  
She asked, lightening the mood considerably.

"I did. Lord Thomas lied to him and that led to his outburst but we talked about it and everything is back to normal."  
She smiled and leaned her head back against my shoulder.

"Good. So what happened tonight then?"  
I rested my face against her hair and moved my hands back to link with hers.

"A plan to get rid of the beanstalk in the castle has been decided. I overruled Thomas."  
I said that with maybe a little too much pride in my voice but Isla didn't say anything.

"And I promised Christian he could come with me for a bit."  
She wrenched violently away from me and stared at me in shock.

"You did what? No. First what is this plan?"  
I sighed.

"To install a pulley system so the thing can be decapitated safely. I told Christian he could climb with me but he has to go down when I say."  
Her eyes widened considerably.

"No John. He's not going."  
She looked quite mad now.

"Well you can tell him that. But really, you don't honestly think I would let anything happen to him do you?"  
She shook her head but still didn't come back into my arms.

"No I know you wouldn't, but he's only four."  
She sighed. The anger was dissipating now.

"I know how old he is. But seriously Isla. You know people doubt I'm his actual father, let him go up. I promise at the first place we put a pulley he will go down and I'll put a rope on him, attached to me so he won't fall."  
She looked slightly comforted by this and I pulled her back. She was slightly sideways and one shoulder was tucked under mine and her hand was resting on my chest, just above my heart.

"Alright. I suppose I can let you take him climbing."  
The silence resumed and one of my hands started combing through her hair.

"How did I not notice what was happening though?"  
I whispered. She sighed and sat up.

"Because I worked hard to hide it from you. You were never meant to know."  
She looked defeated and I moved to lie down fully in front of the fire. She curled up into my side.

"I probably should have told you..."  
She whispered regretfully. I shushed her quickly.

"I understand why you didn't. But please, don't hide anything from me again. Especially not now, you're not meant to be stressed."  
She hit my chest playfully.

"Stop it John! I'm perfectly fine and so is the baby, you just worry too much."  
I smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"I have a right to. We're married and you're pregnant with our second child, our daughter may I add."  
She groaned and buried her head in my chest.

"So Christian's worked you round to his point of view then?"  
She groaned into my tunic. I ran my hands through her hair and down her back.

"Yes he has."  
I laughed and rolled her onto her back so I was towering above her.

"We would both love a daughter though, we've already established this."  
I smiled down at her.

"True…"  
She smiled back up at me and I leaned down to kiss her.

"John, I really can't be bothered going upstairs to bed."  
Her eyes were fluttering shut but I couldn't tell if that was because of tiredness or because of how close we were.

"Do you want me to carry you?"  
I chuckled.

"No. I want to sleep down here. Go and get the bedding off our bed."  
I raised an eyebrow and pulled my head back. Her hair was spread all around her head like a cloud.

"You sure? Sleeping down here might not be too good for Rosalie."  
Her eyes snapped open and a hand came up to slip round my head, pulling me closer. I didn't object.

"Quite sure. And stop with the name. We don't know if it actually will be a girl!"  
I chuckled and swooped down to kiss her. It must have been slightly forceful since she made slight squeak in surprise before responding, matching my level of enthusiasm exactly. We were interrupted by a cry from upstairs. I immediately pulled away and Isla shot up into a sitting position.

"I'll go see to him. You get all the cushions off the couch."  
I grinned at her and leaned in for a last kiss before running upstairs. Christian was coming out of his room clutching his thick blanket. He looked a little upset and as soon as he saw me he ran into my leg, he wrapped his arms around me in a death drip and burst into tears. It took me a while to detach him but he eventually yielded.

"What's wrong Christian?"  
I asked gently.

"Bad dream."  
He choked.

"Alright. Do you want to stay with us?"  
He nodded.

"Right. Throw your bedding down the stairs and give me some help."  
I grinned brilliantly at him but he just looked confused.

"Just do it, you'll see later."  
He nodded and threw his blankets and pillows downstairs and followed me into mine and Isla's room.

"Cold in here father."  
He stated when I handed him two of the pillows.

"Yes I forgot to get the fire going in here when I got home. Probably a good thing now. Can you manage the other two?"  
He nodded and I threw the others at him. He caught them on top of the pile in his arms and grinned at me over the top of the stack.

"Good catch, now be careful throwing those downstairs I don't want you to fall."  
He nodded and set off. I gathered the blankets and followed him.  
He was giggling at the top of the stairs while he was throwing the pillows in a very exaggerated way down the stairs so the pile of begging was beginning to form a mountain at the bottom. I threw the bigger blankets down over Christian's head, he jumped and looked up at me suddenly.

"Can I jump in it?"  
He asked hopefully.

"I can throw you in it if you want?"  
He nodded enthusiastically and I turned to the cupboard behind us to get more blankets out. He giggled when I threw them and the mountain grew significantly.

"Come on young man."  
I grabbed him under his arms and travelled down the stairs. He was still giggling and I heard Isla quietly questioning what was going on before coming to the pile and bending to pick some of it up, not noticing her husband and son stood a few steps up.

"Isla no!"  
I moaned, she looked up at us questioningly.

"No mother!"  
Christian complained.

"Do I want to know what you two are doing?"  
She questioned hesitantly.

"You'll see in a second."  
I winked and she stood back a little.

"Are you ready?"  
I whispered to Christian. He nodded and I swung him a few times, going further out each time.

"Off you go!"  
I cheered and threw him into the pile of bedding.

"John!"  
Isla almost screamed but our son who was sat in the huge pile giggling away unfounded her worries.

"Christian I would move if I were you."  
I advised, moving further up the stair Christian tried to wriggle out but all we could see was his head so Isla had to pull him out.

"John you're not seriously thinking of doing that?"  
I nodded and grinned at her and made to jump.

"You're thirty! And the captain of the guardians, not a child!"  
I relaxed and scowled at her. She just rolled her eyes and wrapped her arms around Christian's shoulders.  
He giggled when I threw myself into the heap of bedding. I began laughing when my son threw himself on top of me.

"Again!"  
Christian cheered, right before yawning. I hugged him tightly.

"No. You're tired."  
He wriggled round so he was hugging my torso.

"Tomorrow then?"  
He mumbled.

"Alright. Are you spending the day with me then?"  
I asked. Isla answered for him.

"Yes he is. I need to see Isabelle. But you'll need me to watch him while you and your group climb that infernal vine after you do send him down."  
She informed me, quite forcefully so I had no choice but to agree. I sat up and Christian woke up slightly, looking a little disorientated.

"Now we need your help son…"  
I told Christian gently He nodded and I put him down. Isla directed him and myself in putting down the bedding in front of the fire so it would make a comfy bed. She disappeared upstairs and Christian and I went to tidy the kitchen up. She came down dressed in a nightdress and gave me some pyjamas.

"It's probably a good thing we aren't sleeping up there. It's so cold, I don't think any kind of activity would make it a bearable temperature."  
I smiled and leaned forward to whisper to her so Christian wouldn't hear.

"I don't think any kind of activity like that would even happen in there it's that cold."  
She chuckled and went into the living room again, taking Christian with her while I changed.

By the time I went back into the living room, Isla was lying on her side stroking our son's cheek and Christian was looking quite scared again. I lay down on Christian's other side and he immediately curled into me.

"He was telling me about the nightmare he had. It was of you fighting Roderick but your head was being held underwater and that's when he woke up."  
Isla stroked his hair and I uncurled Christian from around me. He didn't need to know that this had actually happened.

"I'm alright Christian. Nothing happened to me."  
I assured him. He nodded but curled back into me again. He wasn't going to be moved so I just sighed and pulled Isla close with my free arm. She regarded me with serious eyes.

"That actually happened didn't it?"  
I nodded.

"Well at least you're back safe."  
She sighed.

"I nearly wasn't."  
Her attention snapped back to my eyes in shock.

"What?"  
She whispered.

"I was so wrapped up in what was happening I didn't notice the beanstalk shrinking behind me. I had to jump for it but since it was falling I didn't really want to move since there was a chance I would be squashed. I landed in the moat when the castle wall was hit. That's why I was all wet earlier."  
She nodded.

"Despite knowing you might not have come back, that is slightly funny."  
She smiled.

"Well I'm glad someone thinks that. I didn't like my early bath thank you."  
I pouted.

"Speaking of baths, you need one."  
I looked at her in shock.

"I don't think I do."  
I contradicted her incredulously.

"You've been in the moat and you didn't have one today. Tomorrow you are bathing. I'm not sharing a bed with you until you have one and wash off all the grime from the moat."  
I groaned.

"Our son doesn't seem to mind."  
I gestured to Christian who was sleeping soundly, curled up against me.

"Well you're both boys, it doesn't really matter to you."  
My moth fell open in fake shock.

"My my! I didn't think you would sink that low my darling wife."  
She chuckled and leaned closer.

"Well I can promise you, both your boys will have bathed before you get home tomorrow since we're both bound to smell after spending any length of time in that infernal room."  
She raised an eyebrow.

"Don't go in there, you will throw up."  
She looked confused.

"But Christian is going with you?"

"You're pregnant and Christian has a strong stomach he'll be fine."  
She sighed leaned away from me.

"John stop binging that up. It isn't a legitimate reason to stop me doing things."

"Sorry. But the smell in there is beyond foul."  
She nodded, if a little reluctantly.

"But on a serious note, I spoke to your father earlier."  
She gestured for me to continue.

"His own words, 'I know how much of an impact your absence had on Isla.' Can you explain this please love?"  
She sighed and her head flopped down onto a pillow.

"I know you went to the camp with Christian."  
She looked up at me.

"We did. It was the day the giant fell and I just needed to see a member of my family. Father met me and as soon as I rode up to his tent and I collapsed in tears as soon as we were inside. I was so worried about you and felt so guilty since I was the one who sent you up there after Isabelle in the first place and when I heard Roderick had gone too, well I was terrified. But when I saw that thing fall from up there, John I was almost distraught I was sure I had sent you to your death. I begged father not to cut the thing down until you and Isabelle were safe but he wouldn't listen. It hurt him to give the order to cut it down but it had to be done I guess."  
Tears had started rolling down her cheek. I wiped them away quickly and leaned over to kiss her.

"Tell me I was being stupid, tell me I overreacted and I had nothing to worry about. Please."  
She whispered. I looked away from her eyes.

"I can't do that love. I did almost die twice and you know I was very nearly left up there."  
She gasped and a quiet but pained whimper escaped her throat.

"Once on Roderick's orders and another confronting Him."  
Another few sobs and I shifted Christian over so I could pull her more against me.

"Why do you tell me these things?"  
She sobbed quietly.

"Because you need to know."  
That probably wasn't the right thing to say but it was true. She just cried harder but her sobbing had stopped, I think she was scared of waking Christian but she was now crying into my chest.

"All that matters is that I'm alive and well now and I'm here, curled in front of the fire with my absolutely perfect son and my even more perfect wife who in three and a half months will be having our second child who I love so much already."  
She looked up at me, still sniffing and still a little tearful but smiling nonetheless.

"Oh, and where is this perfect wife you speak of?"  
She quipped cheekily.

"Well, I'll describe her for you; she has the softest jet black hair that frames her angelic face perfectly. Her lips are soft and delightfully rosy and a perfect fit to mine."  
I leaned forward to kiss said lips slowly and gently. She pulled away first, she wasn't crying any more, she was smiling widely.

"Go on…"  
I was urged teasingly. I smiled, pecked her lips again and carried on.

"Normally, she has a body that drives me undeniably crazy, with every curve a woman wants in just the right place, but I'm finding the baby bump a nice change from normal. Oh and the blush she always gets when she's embarrassed. It only ever covers the apples of her cheeks and makes her look like she's a teenager again. And the freckles she gets in the sun, like a fairy tiptoed across her cute button nose. In fact I seem to remember getting that lecture from her when I mocked them once."  
She slapped my shoulder lightly which earned her a cheeky grin and an Eskimo kiss.

"But I think, no I'm sure, my favourite part of my…well my other half, is her eyes. They're beautiful and so deep. I could and have I think, stare into them for hours. They're so dark and warm and always seem to sparkle. Also she never fails to get her own way when I'm involved, but maybe that's because I just adore her and can't stand to see her upset, maybe I should deny her more often what do you think?"  
I chuckled, she pulled Christian away from me and wrapped him in a spare blanket and placed him on the armchair before curling up with me again.

"I don't think that would be wise my darling."  
I smirked when she drawled 'darling' and flipped her over so we were in the exact same position as earlier.

"And why not?"  
I started kissing down her neck.

"Because…I don't like…being challenged…stop."  
She gasped. I smiled against her skin and shook my head.

"I am still…a princess John…and I'm ordering you…to stop…Ahh."  
She shot up into a sitting position, gasping sharply, covering her stomach like something was wrong.

"What's wrong?"  
I searched her face, extremely concerned at her short breaths but it turns out I needn't have worried because she grinned cunningly and grabbed my hands. Before I could do anything I was pinned on my back with my arms pinned above my head.

"Only that you kept missing the part which apparently 'is a perfect fit to yours' now stop teasing me."  
The flirtatious smile that graced her gorgeous features teased and infuriated me because I couldn't reach out to slip my hands around that porcelain heart shaped face.

"Come here then."  
I whispered. She smiled and released my hands. I immediately wrapped my hands around her head and pulled her to me, revelling in how our lips moved together and the way her hands were always hesitant when they slipped round my neck and through my hair. My tongue slowly pried her mouth open and swept slowly across hers as I sat up. Her grip on me tightened and she whimpered into my mouth. One of my hands slipped down to her waist and I pushed her down onto her back. I felt the baby kick against my hand and pulled away. Isla looked suitably dazed and I pressed a kiss to her forehead before scooting down her body.

"Hello baby girl."  
I whispered against her stomach.

"Don't worry sweetheart I haven't forgotten about you."  
I pressed a soft kiss to her stomach.

"I love you."  
I whispered just before one of her hands reached down to pull my head back up. She was smiling brilliantly.

"You're a wonderful man you know that…"  
She whispered. I grinned and stood to retrieve Christian.

"I try to be only the best for you my love. Now sleep, you're tired."  
I kissed her forehead again and lay down next to her. She curled into my side and one of my arms wrapped around her waist, the other was around Christian on my other side.

"I love you."  
She whispered, her breath fluttered across my exposed collar bone.

"As I love you."  
I whispered back before falling into deep sleep with my family wrapped around me.

**Sorry about such a long chapter but it just grew. I think the next is going to be a combination of Jack's and Isabelle's POVs. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, I had no idea how this would actually go down.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Isabelle POV:**

My sister's house is rarely quiet, and Elmont is never late. These are well known facts in my family so my anxiety when I approached their huge house was near peak. I could see from the end of the garden that all the shutters were still up in every window. And there didn't seem to be any signs of life around whatsoever. This kind of circumstance granted me the uncommon permission of going in unannounced. The door was never locked when Elmont was home, they were both very light sleepers the majority of the time and he often woke at the very first ray of sun so Isla felt there was no need.  
The whole house was silent and dark when I walked in, it was slightly eerie, the hall had little light sources normally. My first place to check was the kitchen, it was deserted. I forwent the dining room as they rarely used it and ended up back in the hall. My attention was captured by a sliver of light peeking out from under the living room door. I really should have looked there first but in my haste I forgot.  
The sight that greeted me when I opened the door was heart-warming. All three members of my sister's family were curled in front of the fire. Christian was lying in between his parents with his head resting on Isla's chest. Isla was lying slightly on her back. One arm was around Christian and the other was resting across her swollen stomach. Next to her was Elmont. He was on his side and from I could see, Isla was lying half on him, one of his hands was around her and resting next to hers on her stomach and the other was lying over the top of the whole of his family and resting on the small of Christian's back. His face was mostly buried in her hair, this would make it almost impossible to wake him without disturbing Isla but of course I didn't want to wake any one of them. They just looked so peaceful and you could almost see the love radiating and shimmering around them in the fire's dying light. I sighed in defeat and knelt next to Elmont's shoulder.

"Elmont…"  
He didn't respond to my whisper so I shook his shoulder lightly.

"Elmont, Father needs you at the castle."  
He started to come round slowly and looked up at me. His immediate reaction was to jump and pull the cover that was only around his waist more securely around him. I chuckled lightly as he sat up.

"Sorry, what time is it?"  
He muttered, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"An hour after dawn. Father was getting a little worried that something had happened."  
He jumped to his feet at my mention of the time.

"Elmont slow down. You needn't rush, Father has given you an hour to get ready. The team you gave him last night are all already ready though."  
He nodded, still a little sleep-dazed.

"Right. Can you wake Christian and take him to get changed please?"  
I nodded and went to wake my nephew.

"Should I wake Isla as well?"  
I asked, gesturing to my still sleeping sister.  
He shook his head.

"No. let her sleep. She's had too much to deal with in the last twenty four hours. In fact, can you take Christian's bedding up too please?"  
I nodded and my adorable nephew started to come round after I shook him lightly once. He looked up at me and jumped, much like his father had done, but he didn't scramble to cover himself up. I chuckled lightly as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he really did look like Elmont at times like this.

"Morning handsome."  
I whispered. He waved sleepily at me and lifted his arms up. I picked him up and he settled himself on my hip and rested his head against my shoulder.

"No don't fall asleep again little man. You need to get dressed and we need to clean this room up."  
I whispered. He nodded but didn't move his head. I bent to pick up the two pillows and the blanket I recognised as his and made my way up to his room.  
It took me a while to get him dressed since he was still half asleep but it was managed in the end and he bounded downstairs, now more awake, looking like a miniature version of his father only with black hair. I smiled at my work when I saw Elmont in the kitchen, he was in his normal black tunic and trousers but had on a dark blue vest today. I didn't think he owned any other colour than purple red and black of those things.

"Father we match!"  
Christian exclaimed when he jumped into his father's arms. Elmont smiled and fed him some bread. They did match indeed. Christian was wearing black trousers like Elmont but had on a blue tunic top since he didn't own any black ones and he didn't wear vests like his father.

"That we do son. But quiet now or you'll wake your mother."  
He nodded and opened his mouth for more bread.

"Isabelle, can you help me. I need you to take the cover off mine and Isabelle's bed, take Christian with you he can take the pillows."  
I nodded and he put Christian down who trailed after me. The cover off their bed was quite heavy, heavier than I had thought. But Christian seemed to be finding the four fluffy pillows very amusing. He kept banging into the wall, fascinated by the fact that he couldn't hurt himself. It never got any less awkward going into my sister and Elmont's bedroom, it was a lovely room, the bed was in the very centre of the room, it was a huge rosewood four poster thing with beautifully carved posts, head and footboards. It always seemed to have white sheets that miraculously never got very dirty, except now, since Isla was expecting, they were red. Elmont had got the fire going and the room was warming nicely. I pulled back the shimmering curtains and Christian threw the four pillows on the bed, giggling gleefully and I straightened them out and arranged the cover so it could be easily arranged over Isla. Christian jumped up onto the bed and wriggled around in the cover. I laughed at his antics and sat on the side of the bed.

"Christian come out of there, you'll get the sheets dirty."  
I laughed, the lump under the sheets shook as Christian giggled and I assume shook his head.

"Can't find me Auntie Belle!"  
I laughed and knelt on the bed, poking the lump. He giggled even more and wriggled around until his head poked out from the heavy cover.

"Found you."  
I sang, he wrinkled his nose at me.

"Not fair, you were tickling!"  
I laughed and poked his nose gently.

"Sorry. I couldn't help it."  
I giggled at him. He wriggled onto my lap.

"You're really pretty Auntie Belle?"  
He told me innocently and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear.

"And I think you're going to grow up to be a very handsome young man indeed my sweet."  
I whispered and kissed his head.

"Now tell me, what are you doing today?"  
I wrapped my arms around him and he played with my sleeve.

"Father said he would take me climbing on the huge tree in the castle."  
My eyes widened slightly.

"Did your mother say you could?"  
He nodded.

"At least I think she did. But father would never do anything mother didn't agree to would he?"  
I chuckled.

"Of course he wouldn't. Now how did you get this horrible bruise on your cheek?"  
I touched the bruise gently and he flinched.

"I was hit."  
My heart clenched painfully, there had been one on his shoulder as well…  
I was about to ask him more about them but Elmont appearing in the doorway stopped me. He was carrying Isla who had her arms looped loosely around his neck and her head resting on his shoulder. She looked pale, and her arms looked too thin to be healthy for her, or the baby. He lowered her down onto the bed and I stood, still holding Christian, while he covered her with the covers. He kissed her on the forehead and stood to leave but she grabbed his hand and pulled him back down. I had to strain to hear their conversation it was so quiet.

"John..."  
She sounded in pain…

"Yes darling?"  
He murmured back, bending over her so their chests were touching and their faces almost so.

"I don't feel well…"  
She whispered. One of his hands came up to stroke her cheek with the back of a knuckle.

"I told you to relax."  
They both chuckled slightly.

"Do you want Isabelle to stay with you?"  
He whispered.

"Isabelle's here?"  
Isla gasped. I sat on her other side, still with her son in my arms so she could see me. She reached for my other hand and I squeezed it reassuringly and Elmont sat back from her slightly.

"Hello little sister."  
She almost giggled. I smiled back and kissed the top of her hand.

"Hello Isla. You still need to tell me all about Jack…"  
She whispered, a little louder than before.

"Oh don't worry I will."  
I chuckled. She smiled, something was wrong about this.

"I'll see you later love. Get some rest."  
Elmont whispered and kissed her lips gently and briefly. Christian wriggled out of my lap and kissed his mother's cheek.

"I'll tell you all about today when I get home!"  
He told her joyfully. Isla smiled, nodded and kissed his cheek in return.

"I look forward to it."  
She smiled and Elmont moved her hand to her stomach.

"I expect you to sleep for most of today. You need your rest."  
He smiled down at her and stood, letting his hand linger on the one resting on her stomach. She offered him a weak smile and turned her head to me. Christian jumped off the bed to go to his father, I fought back a gasp when I saw a bruise matching the ones on Christian. I kissed my sister's forehead and rushed out of the room.

"Elmont! Wait a second! I need to talk to you."  
I ran through the house, he was just putting a jacket on Christian when he turned to me.

"Yes Princess, although I don't have much time, your father is expecting me."  
Of course he would turn all formal now. But I pulled him away from Christian and into the kitchen. He indicated for Christian to stay put.

"Elmont I can't believe I'm asking this. But Christian and Isla both have bruises…"  
He cut off my anxious tone with a sharp one of his own.

"Not from me I assure you Isabelle. I would never lift a finger to harm them I can't believe you would even assume that!"  
He sounded slightly angry.

"Well from whom else would they have come?"  
I snapped in a whisper.

"I can't tell you the whole story, Isabelle and it's not mine to tell. Isla will have to tell you this when she sees fit. But I can tell you now as both your brother and the man sworn as your protector, that I would never harm my family, they are my world and it hurts me as much, if not more than when people voice their doubts about Christian's parentage. To hear those doubts from you Isabelle I can't tell you how insulted, hurt and betrayed I feel."  
He sounded so hurt that I couldn't help feeling guilty and hung my head in shame.

"Go to your sister and we will NEVER speak of this again."  
I nodded and made to leave the room but he caught my wrist and turned me back gently. His eyes looked so forlorn, that wasn't an emotion I had ever seen Elmont wear, nor wanted to see him wear again.

"Lord Roderick. Now be careful about what you say around Isla today. If you have to ask her to talk about what I have told you do not overreact to what she says. There is a lot of corruption in this world Isabelle, keep an open mind."  
My mouth fell open. Lord Roderick had harmed my sister and her son. This was impossible. But Elmont's cryptic words confused me. I had no idea what he meant but nodded anyway and left the room to go back to Isla. I heard Elmont joyfully leave the house with Christian and headed back into my sister's bedroom.

God she looked so pale, but at least she was sleeping peacefully. One hand was curled on the pillow next to her head and the other was resting on her stomach, exactly where Elmont had placed it a few moments prior. Her eyelids kept fluttering at the dream she was obviously having but her pallor worried me. She looked nearly grey and her skin was clammy. I lay down next to her on my side and traced her features with my fingertip. Isla was so fortunate, to be married to such a handsome, well-built man who would protect her and her children with his life. A man who loved her so much and could deny her nothing material so she had everything she could ever want and more, since he delighted in surprising her with various little gifts and even the tiniest, she delighted in. He did however, contest her on some decisions but whatever the decision was it was always smoothed over in the utmost swiftness and with the least amount of strife. It was everything I wished for to have a match like that for myself and a darling little boy like Christian who would be doted upon by his parents and a little girl like Elmont and Isla hoped this next child would be, a little princess to dress up and spoil.

* * *

**Jack POV:**

The king was pacing the beanstalk's perimeter. Anyone could tell he was worried about Elmont's lack of, well Elmont really. But he had been tired when he left and he had been extremely busy of late apparently.  
The door banged open and Elmont carrying a small boy on his shoulders burst in. The boy looked exactly like him except with black hair. The king greeted them with a smile and made to go over to meet them. Elmont lifted the small boy of his shoulders and dangled him by his ankles above the ground.

"Father no! You'll drop me!"  
The boy squealed. Father? Elmont was a father? He didn't wear a ring I knew that so was this child legitimate or something else?

"Oh like this?"  
Elmont chuckled and dropped the boy a few inches without letting go of his ankles. The boy squealed again but burst out giggling. The king smiled at the display and went over to them.

"Hello grandpa!"  
The boy cheered. Grandpa? Elmont had a son with Isabelle? None of this made sense.

"Hello Christian, now what is your father doing to you?"  
The king laughed and Elmont righted the boy.

"I wanted to see what it would be like to be upside down grandpa! It's really fun!"  
The boy cheered. And the king patted his head.

"And where is your mother?"  
Christian's eyes fell slightly.

"Not well grandpa. Auntie Belle is staying with her all day."  
The king's eyes widened.

"Your mother is ill? What is she ill with?"  
The boy shrugged and the king looked to Elmont for confirmation.

"She woke and didn't feel well, Isabelle is with her now."  
The king nodded. I was utterly confused. Isabelle hadn't mentioned a sister and Elmont had never mentioned being the king's son in law. Elmont noticed my confused face.

"I'm married to the king's eldest daughter, she is ten years older than Isabelle but is not related by blood. She was adopted as a tiny baby from her highland grandmother. This is our son, Christian."  
I nodded and Christian held out a hand to me. I smiled and took it. We shook hands and he grinned cheekily at me.

"Introduce yourself…"  
Elmont urged me.

"I need to speak to his highness on a very important matter."  
Elmont's eyes levelled seriously at the king and he moved away from us.

"So Christian, my name is Jack."  
I crouched down near the boy. He smiled brilliantly at me.

"Auntie Belle's Jack?"  
He asked innocently.

"I suppose so."  
I smiled down at him. I made to say something again but he quietened me.

"I want to hear what they're saying."  
He whispered. I nodded understandingly and we lapsed into silence.

"Lord Thomas you highness is locked in the underground cavern…"

"Elmont, how could you know this?"

"I locked him in there your majesty."

"There had better be a good reason behind this."

"He attempted to kill me last night. He described it as acting upon Lord Roderick's orders since he did not return with us. But I'm afraid Isla will have to tell you the remainder of the tale."

"Isla? What does she have to do with this?"

"Either she will tell Isabelle and Isabelle will tell you, or Isla will come to you when she is ready."

"And why can't you tell me now?"

"I'm afraid I cannot tell the whole story I only know what Isla has told me and moreover I do not want to tell it because I do not want to believe it."

"Alright. I will know of this tale, and until then Lord Thomas is to be kept in the underground chamber, I will charge a guard with giving him food and water. I hope later today I will hear this story from either one of my daughters' mouths and decide from there."

"As you wish."  
Christian and I both jumped to look like we were having a conversation but apparently Elmont knew otherwise.

"Jack I would appreciate it if you did not participate in my son's misbehaving, or encourage him for that matter. He knows what I'm talking about and he knows where I stand on his behaviour."  
I might have been mistaken but I could have sworn Elmont winked at his son.

"So are you going to show Jack how to climb today?"  
He picked Christian up and regarded him seriously.

"Of course I am Father!"  
The boy cheered.

"Elmont, I'm not going up there. You know what my opinion is."  
He grinned at me.

"And if my four year old son can do it, so can you."  
I groaned.

"But he's your son!"

"Your point being? Jack you're helping with this system whether you like it or not."

"Or I'll tell Auntie Belle."  
Christian chirped. Elmont burst into laughter and kissed his cheek before waltzing off to get ropes and equipment ready.  
I felt a little uncomfortable. I had just been faintly blackmailed into climbing to some great height no doubt, by a four year old!

The climb hadn't actually taken us long, this stalk was thicker than the previous and a lot shorter since it had had to smash through a big part of the castle which had obviously stunted its growth.  
Christian had been superb. He was so small he was able to get up to the hard to reach places where a pulley would be ideal. He did question Elmont at one point, saying he thought he was meant to be going back down at the first pulley we installed. Elmont had told him that he was needed and was staying. Christian didn't object and kept happily climbing with us, he did get further than me though. Both he and Elmont went to the top which poked out miles above the castle roof. Elmont was sat with his son on his lap while we ate. I had gone for the most secure point so I couldn't see the ground, this worry of falling kept being teased by Elmont and Christian with the occasional 'Look down there' and 'Look at those people, they look like ants' I sent the occasional scowl up to them but it only spurred them on. It was lovely to see Elmont and his son interacting and how similar they were, but also how much Elmont's attitude changed around his son. He was more carefree and a little immature at times, but I still wanted to meet his wife, it intrigued me how a man like Elmont could be married to Isabelle's sister and how I didn't know about this, she would be a princess after all and if she married the kingdom would know and if she then had a child then that would also be kingdom-wide news.

We finally came back to the ground at about five. I think messed up my landing because we all repelled down from the various pulley points to test how much weight they could take. It turned out to be quite a lot, Christian enjoyed the descent almost as much as the climb. I hated both. But he was roped to his father for the descent, but that meant they went at ridiculous speeds down this beanstalk since I don't think Elmont was scared of anything.

I was invited back to his house after he had spoken to the king again about sending some people over I think, and Christian insisted on showing me his collection of toy soldiers, to which I readily agreed.  
Isabelle met us at the front door, there was a nice glow from inside and Christian rushed in and up the stairs. Isabelle smiled at Elmont and nodded to the stairs, to which he ran up, taking two at a time.

"I didn't think I would be seeing you here tonight Jack."  
Isabelle giggled and shut the door quietly behind me. I shrugged.

"It was decided a few moments ago. Why didn't you tell me you had a sister or Elmont was married to her?"  
She smiled sadly and went into the kitchen, I followed.

"There just didn't seem a right time. And didn't you know anyway?"  
I shook my head and she raised an eyebrow.

"I wasn't really the most observant of people and I did live way out."  
She nodded, mixed something with some water and left, beckoning me to follow her.

"So why doesn't Elmont wear a ring?"  
She chuckled.

"He complained it got in the way so he wears it round his neck a lot of the time, occasionally it will appear on his finger though."  
I nodded and followed her along the landing. She opened a door that lead into a spacious room, with dark furniture and white upholstery and fabrics. I hesitated on the threshold until I heard Elmont calling me.

"Jack don't loiter out there, come in."  
He sounded like he had been told to say it, so I went in. The room was mainly dominated by a huge bed with white drapes and bedding but it was still huge, you could probably have fit my entire house in there a few times over and still have room to spare.  
Isabelle was sat on the bed was Isabelle with Christian in her lap and by her side was a pale woman with very black hair and very deep brown eyes. Elmont was sat half behind her with one arm lose at his side but that hand held the woman's own hand, and the other arm was wrapped around her body and resting on her stomach, which I realised now was larger than it probably would have been at any other time. I nodded to her and she smiled.

"Jack I presume?"  
Her voice was soft and melodic, I instantly took a liking to this woman.

"Yes my lady. Isla I assume your name is?"  
She chuckled.

"Oh he is well mannered Isabelle, yes that is my name. Please Jack, none of the 'my lady' business. I'm only twenty nine."  
She giggled. Elmont kissed her cheek and her attention snapped elsewhere.

"Oh, and what did I say yesterday? About the bath?"  
She almost warned him and raised a long graceful finger to tap his chin.

"I hardly think that's fair to bring up Love. We have company and your father hasn't sent the people asked him to yet."  
She grinned and kissed him lightly on the lips.  
It was clear just how much they loved each other and I had only been stood in the same room as them for a few minutes.

"Jack sit, there's a chair there."  
Elmont gestured to a chair near the bed and I sat down. Christian hopped off Isabelle's knee and onto mine.

"Can I call you Uncle Jack?"  
He asked innocently. I looked up, unsure of how to reply.

"Well you are Auntie Belle's Jack. You told me that yourself."  
He stated.

"Yes you can Christian. He won't get a say in the matter."  
Isla laughed. Christian smiled up at me.

"Alright then Uncle Jack. Why don't you like heights?"  
I groaned and heard Elmont snort in amusement.

"I just don't."  
I replied but he didn't stop there.

"Why didn't you come up to the top with us? It was really pretty up there."  
I couldn't reply because Isla beat me to it.

"You said you would send him down at the first place you put a pulley in!"  
Both Christian and I looked across the room to where Isla was attempting to get an answer out of Elmont who was looking a little guilty, she looked absolutely furious.

"Well you also said you would be there to take him but you couldn't. He wasn't in any danger."

"Yes but you promised, that was why I let you take him!"  
I was suddenly very uncomfortable.

"Maybe I wasn't meant to say that…"  
Christian whispered to me.

"Perhaps you shouldn't have."  
I whispered back.

"Isla look at him, he loved it and nothing happened to him! You're overreacting."  
Her mouth dropped.

"I don't think I'm overreacting. You took our four year old son climbing to ridiculous heights! Tell me how you don't see a problem with this?"  
She was almost yelling at him now.

"Isla calm down. Remember what happened today."  
Isabelle stroked her sister's face gently.

"Never once did he show any signs of weakness. And there was nobody I could send him down to. Everyone had either come with us or was elsewhere helping with the rebuilding. Would you rather he were alone, or with me where I could keep an eye on him."  
Isla wasn't any happier with this either.

"John you knew I didn't want you to take him."  
She was almost whispering now but I was more concerned with what she called him. Was John his actual name and Elmont his surname? Of course it would be, he was a knight.

"Yes but look how much he enjoyed it. He wanted to come with me."  
Isla turned away from Elmont and Isabelle wrapped her arms around her sister. I think they had forgotten I was in the room with their son.

"Isla, darling, why are you being like this? He didn't come to any harm, in fact he showed Jack up more than once."  
Elmont ran a fingertip along Isla's cheek, She was lying with her head on Isabelle's shoulder and an arm around her waist. Her other had not left its place on her stomach.

"Isabelle can you tell my husband to leave."  
She whispered. I felt bad for Elmont who stood and went over to the fire and took the guard away.

"Jack, take Christian away, he doesn't need to hear this."  
Isabelle whispered. Christian was looking very upset and Isabelle smiled sadly at him.

"Christian, why don't you show Jack your soldiers, maybe he can play with them with you."  
Christian nodded reluctantly and Isabelle nodded to me, I stood, still holding the boy and took him out of the room. He directed me down the corridor to his room, as soon as we were inside he wriggled out of my arms and sat cross legged on the floor with his head hung.

"I don't like this Uncle Jack. And I feel really guilty."  
He whined. I sat next to him and slid an arm round his shoulders. The small boy immediately leaned into me and this situation got slightly awkward, I had only known him a day.

"Christian, I'm sure you didn't mean to say anything. You were just excited."  
He shook his head.

"But father told me not to say anything. And I did."

"Yes but your father also knows you're only small and forget things easily in excitement. I'm sure he knows you didn't mean to say it."  
He looked up at me with huge eyes, exactly the same shade as Elmont's.

"I hope you're right. Now help me find my soldiers. Father put them away somewhere but I don't know where."  
I stood to help Christian find his toys, but the boy's energetic attitude had diminished slightly.

* * *

**Isabelle POV:**

"Isla, don't be mad at him. You did send him after me remember."

"Yes but you can look after yourself, to some extent."  
Isla smiled and I made to answer but was interrupted.

"Is this…blood?"  
Elmont turned with a nightdress in his hand. There was indeed blood on it.  
Isla stammered and her face lost all its colour when Elmont held the bloody nightshirt up almost accusingly.

"You were wearing this last night Isla. Now tell me, is it blood?"  
She looked up to meet Elmont's eyes. He was carefully masking all his emotions.

"It is. But John it's not what you think."  
She was getting very emotional now and tears had started to appear in her eyes.

"Well then what is it then? Because from what I know; blood on a woman's clothing, especially a woman is expecting, can never mean anything good so tell me my dearest, explain this to me."  
His eyes had dropped his iron resolve and now showed anger, no he wasn't only angry, he was furious. But his voice, his voice was almost desperate, pleading with her.

"I can't."  
She whimpered. He threw the nightdress to the side and walked up to the edge of the bed.

"You can. Now tell me what happened today? What did Isabelle mean earlier? Saying that you had to 'remember what happened today'."  
Isla whimpered and my arms around her tightened.

"She bled today Elmont."  
His face whitened.

"You didn't…"  
He asked, his sentence went unfinished because all three of us knew what he meant but just didn't want to say.

"No. The baby is still alive and healthy, but she has to stay relaxed and do very little. Elmont, It was levels of anxiety that caused this, she can't be stressed or overexert herself. She needs to rest, so that means you need to be quiet and you, dear Isla need to let what happened today go."  
I looked in between my sister and her husband. He nodded and she opened her arms to him, Elmont didn't hesitate and crawled up onto the bed. Isla curled up against his chest and I stood to leave and give them privacy. The last thing I saw as I closed the door was Isla lean up to kiss Elmont on the mouth after he murmured that he loved her, over and over.  
The door shut gently and I leaned against the wall.  
I would never tire of watching Isla and John Elmont, and never really have, ever since I could remember they had always been together, it started out behind Father's back almost as soon as he became our protector two years after he was knighted at fourteen after being a recruit since age ten, the youngest but one of the most capable and then again one of the youngest when knighted. Crawe had mentored him for the vast majority of his career and Father had seen much promise in his when he picked him, both in his skills and his characteristics when he watched how he acted with his fellows and how he acted towards and for those he trusted.

**So next chapter is going to be full of various flashbacks, let me know anything you might want to see and I'll attempt to slot it in. Thank you.  
Please review…**


	5. Chapter 5

**Just saying now, this chapter is extremely long. The bold bits are where a flashback starts and says what that one is if you don't want to read it all. Enjoy:**

**Elmont, 16  
Isla, 15  
Isabelle, 5  
(First sight) Isla POV:**

Father had only announced a few days ago he was assigning one of his guardians as a protector for Isabelle and me. I assumed he was going to be a stuffy old fart of a man who father trusted because they had served together in some battle or other, but no. the Guardian introduced to us as Elmont was young, not much older than me, he was handsome, very handsome, with auburn hair that stuck up on his head in the most amusing yet endearing gravity defiant way but what really got me was his eyes, they were beautiful, like the ocean, or a day which can't make its mind up to be stormy or sunny. I think I had developed a crush right there right then on this man. He kissed mine and Isabelle's hand which she giggled at. He was so good with her though, she never opened up to strangers easily, but within five minutes of being introduced to Elmont she was chattering to him about all sorts of things. I spoke to him of course but found I couldn't make myself coherent without a lot of effort. Only mother saw this though, all father saw was that he had chosen right in his decision as both his daughters were conversing with the man who was to guard them. He had chosen right too, I could enjoy this man's company, I enjoyed the sound of his voice too, so I was barely paying attention when he told me and Isabelle all about how he became a recruit at age ten, knighted at fourteen and was now here, we listened as he told us all about being a knight and about his friend Crawe who, despite being almost a decade older than him, was his best friend and mentor. Isabelle sat captivated through this whole story, whereas I just admired this man in front of me. Even though he was wearing armour his body was obviously muscular and solid underneath. His legs looked strong from riding and his arms looked strong, like anyone would feel safe when wrapped in them. He caught me staring and I blushed slightly, he smiled and we locked eyes, it felt natural, but I was too enthralled in those gorgeous blue gems to think of anything else but how beautiful they were.  
This could be the start of something more, if only that were possible…

* * *

**Elmont, 18  
Isla, 17  
Isabelle, 6  
(Christmas) General POV:**

Midnight on Christmas Eve was not a normal time for anyone to be walking the hallways, especially not one of the king's daughters. Isla pulled her hood up when she reached the main door to the gardens and fastened the ties on her cloak before checking the corridor was clear and slipping out of the door silently. She hugged her cloak around her tightly, severely regretting only wearing her nightdress under the heavy cloak, but she hadn't realised the time until a few minutes ago.  
She wove her way through the gardens until she reached a wall, covered in rose vines. She felt her way along the wall until she came to a door, but as soon as her hand touched the door handle it swung inwards and a hand touched hers gently and pulled her inside.

"Hello Elmont."  
Isla breathed and her hood fell off her head, leaving her ebony hair free to fall down her back.

"I'm glad you came. I didn't think you would take my note seriously."  
She almost giggled, moving closer to him.

"I was starting to think I had either read it wrong or you had forgotten."  
He came out of the shadows and shut the door.

"I only forgot to check the time, that's why I'm so late. But you waited."  
She smiled up at him, they were now only a few centimetres away from each other.

"I did. And now you're here."  
He smiled down at her.

"I am…"  
She whispered. They were getting very close now.  
Both teenagers had been close since he had been appointed two years ago and had just grown closer since. He had become one of Isla's most trusted friends and she knew, probably more than she told her parents, but he was more trusted than her friends her own age and gender.

"So, why did you want me here tonight?"  
He moved away from her and went to sit on a swinging bench. Isla joined him and sat close to his side.

"Your Christmas present."  
She whispered, grinning brilliantly up at him.

"Alright…but yours first. Close your eyes. And take your cloak off."  
She raised an eyebrow but did it anyway.  
He fastened something around her neck and pulled her cloak back around her shoulders.

"You can open your eyes now."  
He chuckled. And her eyes fluttered open.

"You look lovely by the way, but would it not have been wise to have worn something over your nightdress."  
She raised an eyebrow.

"It's slightly see through princess."  
He chuckled. Isla's cheeks reddened a little and she giggled and hit his arm.

"Elmont! You shouldn't have been looking!"  
She giggled. He caught her hands, still chuckling.

"I didn't know it was like that. And I looked away as soon as I saw. But from what I did see, my god Isla you're beautiful."  
Her blush deepened and she looked down at her chest and gasped.

"Elmont!"  
Her hands wriggled out of his and pulled a dainty cross out from under her cloak.  
It was a little silver cross with five almond shaped opals forming the cross and a little diamond in the middle of the two little opals forming the cross part and it hung around her neck on a soft light blue ribbon.

"It's beautiful! But I can't, Elmont…"  
He smiled at her and curled a hand around the pendant.

"You can. You told me a few weeks ago that you had lost yours."  
She looked up at him in shock.

"But surely you have better things to spend your money on than me."  
He chuckled.

"Your father pays me very well, I still get paid for my rank in the guardians and my family is rich and I'm the eldest and only son so I get quite a bit of money from them yearly, although I really don't know what for. And I couldn't think of a better way to use it than to get you a new cross for Christmas. I take it you like it?"  
She smiled at him brilliantly.

"I love it and the ribbon is the same colour as your eyes! Oh I don't think it's ever going to come off."  
She giggled and kissed it, her eyes hadn't left his since he had curled her hand round the cross.

"I'm glad. Now what about my present?"  
He smiled cheekily at her and she tucked the cross back under her cloak.

"Stand up and follow my instructions carefully."  
She smiled and he stood. He was directed all over the little walled garden until he came to a wall and was told to run his hands along it. He did and his frown deepened when his hands slipped into a hole in the wall and he gripped something wrapped in cloth.

"I think you've found it. Pull it out then."  
Isla laughed and he brought the small bag back to where she was sat on the bench.

"Don't laugh at me though when you open it."  
He looked at her in surprise.

"I wouldn't dream of it princess."  
He smiled back and pulled the string on the little soft bag. A varnished plaque fell out onto his lap. It was black wood and very intricately carved. He studied it for a while before looking back to Isla's anxious face.

"How did you know my initials and what my family crest looks like?"  
He asked softly.

"Crawe told me. But he wouldn't tell me what the J stands for."  
Elmont chuckled and ran a finger over the carving.

"But how would he know what the crest looks like?"

"Oh, that was me. I spent hours in the library trying to find it in one of those books father has about Cloister's heritage and the noble families."  
Elmont nodded.

"Isabelle almost saw me when I was drawing it out."  
Elmont's bottom lip dropped in amazement.

"You did this?"  
She nodded.

"It took me hours, but I don't mind."  
She giggled at him and ran a fingertip over the initials.

"It's beautiful."  
He breathed.

"It's to go on your crossbow. Since you had a problem with someone stealing it after you messed around with it."

"I didn't 'mess around with it', I altered it so it was just right for me."  
He corrected her, slightly indignantly. She chuckled.

"Whatever, it looked like messing around to me. So do you like it?"  
She looked slightly concerned.

"How could I not like it princess! But now all that's going through my head is what if I lose it, and that you did this. Why?"  
She chuckled and ran a finger along his cheek bone.

"Because I wanted to. And if something happens to it, then that means something happens to your crossbow and I don't think you would ever let that happen easily."  
Elmont chuckled and Isla carried on.

"But if it does, then I still have the drawings so I can just get another made."  
She smiled brightly.

"And now you're making me feel slightly insignificant, I only gave you a necklace."  
He murmured seriously.

"But I absolutely love the necklace and you didn't have to get me anything, but if you want to feel like you gave me a little more… I have a wish."  
She whispered and leaned closer to him. He gulped and mirrored her gesture.

"Name it…"  
He whispered, slightly huskily, their lips were now almost touching and their eyelids had fluttered closed.

"Kiss me?"  
Isla gasped, almost breathlessly just before he pushed his lips against hers. They both had to fight to breathe when their mouths started moving against the other's. Isla pulled away first and Elmont looked at her, worried he had done something wrong.

"Don't look like that. That was perfect, I just don't really know what I'm doing."  
His eyes bulged.

"You mean that was your first real kiss princess?"  
She nodded.

"Yes, and you called me Isla before by accident, I liked it. I want you to call me by my actual name now. And only princess when you have to. And since you can now call me by my first name, I can call you by yours. So what does the 'J' stand for?"  
She grinned expectantly at him and he stood and pocketed her present.

"But that was by accident, it shouldn't have happened."  
He argued gently. She stood and put a hand on his shoulder.

"But you did it. And I liked it. Now what does the J stand for?"  
He smiled and hooked a finger under her chin while his thumb traced her bottom lip.

"It's John actually. Now Isla, may I kiss you again?"  
She beamed and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Of course you may John."  
She whispered. He pulled her head up to meet his and the hand supporting her chin slipped round the back of her head while the other encircled her waist under her cloak. This kiss was much more heated than the last but still innocent since Elmont didn't want to scare Isla with what he desperately wanted to do, but he kept his tongue behind his teeth and just settled for the exquisite feeling of her being this close and her lips moving innocently against his with just the right amount of pressure.

* * *

**Elmont, 19  
Isla, 18  
Isabelle, 8  
(The Queen's death.) Isla/Elmont POV:**

(Isla POV)  
I hate this. I hate this. I hate this! I hate being eighteen at the moment and I hate my situation at the moment. Mother was having another child, hopefully a boy, but me, being eighteen, I was deemed old enough to 'assist'. Mostly this just consisted of holding mother's hand and assuring her everything would be fine and wiping her forehead. I think it was cruel of them to get me to 'help' and if this was what it was like having a child then I was never going to have one.  
She screamed a lot and it was all I could do not to burst into tears, all I really wanted to do right now was forget about all of this, and curl up in John's arms and cry.  
It had been a year since we had met at midnight and had our first kiss, we had done the same this year and I had a sneaking suspicion that mother had seen us kissing before we went inside.

"Isla darling?"  
My attention snapped back to the present and mother was looking at me, her hand reached up to brush my cheek. She looked exhausted, and so much older than she actually was.

"Where did this come from?"  
She pointed to my cross which had slipped out from its hiding place under my dress. Nobody had questioned my cross but they had regarded it with suspicion since it had just appeared on Christmas morning.

"It was a Christmas gift last year mother."  
I whispered.

"Off whom?"  
She questioned before screaming in pain again. A tear rolled down my cheek.

"Off Elmont mother."  
She looked at me and managed a smile before screaming and gripping my hand ridiculously tight. But a new sound broke the tension in the room. It was a baby's cry. Mother smiled weakly and nodded to me. I let go of her hand and held my arms out for the baby. One of the healers placed him in my arms and I turned back to my mother, she was smiling.

"You look beautiful with a child in your arms dear."  
I smiled at her and handed her the baby. He gurgled and wriggled closer to her.

"Should I get father and Isabelle?"  
I asked, she shook her head.

"No, not yet. I want to talk to you."  
I raised an eyebrow and she patted the pillow next to her.

"Elmont... explain this Isla…"  
I giggled and wrapped my arms around her arm closest to me. It had started raining sometime in the past few hours and was now beating steadily on the window panes.

"He gave me the cross last Christmas, to replace the one I lost. I met him at midnight in the garden, wait mother promise you won't tell this to father, he would lock me away for years and send John away if he knew he had kissed me!"  
I realised my mistake almost as soon as I said it and clamped my hand over my mouth. Mother chuckled and the baby gurgled and she offered him her finger.

"John?"  
I nodded and lay my lay on her shoulder.

"He loves me mother."  
I whispered. He had told me this a few months ago, again at night but on a walk through the city. We had ended up sat on the fountain in the market square. I had made a wish into the fountain and it had come true only moments later! Elation didn't even touch on what I was feeling I obviously returned his statement and the very first time since last Christmas I had let his tongue sweep over mine. Bliss would be a less than adequate description, but I had to remind myself to breathe and blink when we broke apart.

"And…?"  
Mother pressed, pulling me back out of my reverie.

"I love him too. So much it almost hurts mother."  
She smiled and turned to kiss my cheek.

"Well then you two shall be together, I will talk about this to your father when I'm up and about again. But you two have kissed? Already?"  
I nodded. I was having trouble understanding what was happening, but merely minutes after telling my mother about mine and John's relationship she had told me she would see to it that we were together!

"Mother it was amazing! It felt like nothing in this world!"  
I gushed. She chuckled.

"That's what love feels like dear. Now go and get your father and sister."  
I kissed her cheek and left the room. Father and Isabelle were sat outside the room, she was on his lap and looked like she had been crying but as soon as she saw me she jumped off father's lap and into my arms.

"You can go in now father."  
He rushed in and I turned to Isabelle.

"Shall we go and meet our new brother?"  
I asked joyfully. She nodded and we went back into the room. Father was sat on the opposite side to the one I was earlier, he was beaming down into the bundle of blankets. Isabelle wriggled out of my arms and crawled up the bed to kiss mother's cheek.

"He's so cute mother. What's he called?"  
She chirped. I sat behind her and wrapped an arm around my sister's waist.

"I think he shall be called Charles, or Charlie rather."  
She chuckled and Isabelle poked his nose gently. Charlie looked at her and stared. Mother held the tiny baby out to her and I helped her hold him and she just cooed nonsense to his little face. He gurgled and squirmed. Mother and father chuckled and I sat up to see mother leaning on father's shoulder, both of them were smiling at us widely.

"Isla! Look!"  
Isabelle gestured for me to look at Charlie. He was gripping her finger and shaking it around like she had done with her rattle as a baby.

"He is adorable isn't he."  
I chuckled. Isabelle looked up at me.

"Are you going to have a baby when you marry E…"  
I clapped my hand over her mouth just before she said the name. Mother laughed and father just looked confused.

"Who?"  
He asked. Mother shook her head at Isabelle and turned to father.

"Isabelle is just being fanciful. But that is a matter for later my dear."  
She assured him gently, the smile hadn't left her face all the time though. I smiled in thanks to her and father held his arms out for Charlie. He looked so happy, with his son in his arms.

"Why did you cover my mouth?"  
Isabelle whispered to me. She sounded a little put off.

"I saw you two kissing the other night! You were outside your room."  
I gasped. I knew we shouldn't have done that.

"Isabelle. You can't tell father. He will get mad and send him away."  
I whispered back.

"Fine. But are you two going to get married?"  
I smiled.

"In a perfect world yes I want to marry him. But it's all up to father in the end."  
She nodded.

"I think you two would be the best couple ever. And I want someone like him when I'm older."  
I smiled and tapped her nose.

"And so you will little sister, you're beautiful already and will only get more so."  
I smiled down at her.

"But I want your eyes! They're so pretty. I hate mine. They make me look so odd!"  
She protested.

"But you have mother's eyes. And they look a bit like J…Elmont's so therefore they're gorgeous."  
I chuckled. Isabelle giggled and I pulled her down onto the bed and tickled her.

"Girls, stop being silly. Your mother needs rest."  
Both of us sat up and smiled in apology to our father. He smiled back at us and mother held her arms out to us. We moved to hug her and she kissed the tops of our heads.

"I love you both. Now I want to sleep and I'm sure Charlie does too. So quiet is needed until later."  
We both kissed her cheek and agreed. Father kissed her forehead and placed Charlie in his crib before ushering us out of the room and following us.

(Elmont POV)  
It was almost dark and I hadn't seen Isla almost all day. It was infuriating and I was trying to work out my frustration in a spar with Crawe. He had realised something was wrong when I almost dragged him out of the inn where he was eating, among other things.  
We had literally just seen each other this afternoon and a healer had dragged her away from me because her mother was in labour. The most I got today was a smile while she ran up the corridor.  
The rain that had started a few hours ago, and had not helped my mood much. In fact it was near foul. I was going to have to send Isla a note asking her to meet me later.

"You alright Elmont?"  
Crawe finally voiced his concerns.

"I'm just frustrated."  
I growled and attacked again. He defended.

"I can tell. Care to talk about it?"  
I shook my head. The best thing about Crawe was that he knew when a person needed their space and would annoy them about it when they were calmer and would be more willing to tell information, and let on more details without knowing it.

"Alright, but you will tell me about it won't you?"  
I nodded.

"Of course. It's just random thoughts and feelings at the moment."  
We carried on with our spar for a while. Until Crawe opened his mouth to talk and Isla's voice came out, except she sounded upset and she was shouting…from behind me, my given name. I whipped round and I heard Crawe drop his weapon. He knew about everything that had happened with Isla. He was the only one who knew and very often was our go-between, Isla gave him notes for me when she didn't know where I was.

"Isla, what's wrong?"  
I asked when she got close. The silky hair that had once been in a plait down her back was now soaked and there were wispy bits falling into her face, not to mention the mess it had gotten into at the back. Her dress was soaked and had once been light green, but was now covered in mud and grime, obviously from her trek to find me. Since it was very pale, it had started going slightly see-through. She threw herself into my arms and sobbed into my neck. Her whole body was shaking, both with the cold and with grief.

"Isla, love. What's happened?"  
She pulled back to look at me. Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, a clear sign that she had been crying for a while.

"She's dead! John she's dead!"  
I pulled her back to me in a severe state of shock. She could mean one of three people. Her mother, Isabelle or the baby if it had been a girl.

"Who love?"  
I whispered. She hit my chest.

"My mother you idiot! Who else would it have been! She's dead!"  
She kept hitting my chest and screaming at me."

"Isla you need to calm down or you'll make yourself ill."  
I whispered gently.

"I don't care!"  
She sobbed and slid her arms around my neck tightly.

"You do care. Think about your father and sister. And the tiny baby who is now your sibling."  
She scoffed through her tears.

"You mean the little bastard who killed my mother and then died within an hour of her?"  
I gasped.

"Yes the little shit's dead too."  
She sobbed. I don't know what I was more surprised about; the fact both the queen and the child were dead, or Isla's choice of language.

"Isla, it was just a tiny baby. It couldn't have killed your mother. And I didn't know you knew such words."  
I attempted to lighten the mood, it didn't work. She just hit me again and her legs gave way, so I now had to support her completely.

"Don't even defend it John! I was with her. I saw how much she was affected, it was so much more than when Isabelle was born. She looked like she was dead already!"  
I hugged her tighter, if it were even possible. Crawe tapped me on the shoulder and held up a cloak. It was damp, but only a little and it would still keep her warm. I nodded in thanks and made to wrap it round her. She pushed my hands away.

"Isla, you'll catch your death! Now for me at least, put it on."  
She nodded and let me fasten it round her shoulders.

"Whose is this anyway?"  
She asked, a little less tearful than before.

"His, my lady."  
Crawe indicated to me and my eyes bulged slightly. It was indeed mine, complete with missing ties at the top. I raised my eyebrows in appreciation. He must have run back to our barracks and found it.

"Thank you Crawe."  
She whispered and wrapped her arms around my waist. I slid mine protectively round her shoulders. Her crying had lessened now and she wasn't hysterical anymore. I nodded my thanks to my best friend too and he picked up our weapons and left, another brilliant thing about him was that he knew when to leave and never took offence at it, but he always seemed to communicate, at least with me without saying much at all. I knew he had rejected our thanks in almost a brotherly way, since I think he didn't believe they were necessary.

"You're not wearing armour…"  
She whispered.

"No I'm not. I didn't think I would be needing it since we were only having a friendly match."  
I chuckled down to her. She managed a slight smile. We stood in silence for a while, the rain still poured around us.

"John…"  
Isla whispered from where her head was resting on my shoulder.

"Mother was going to make everything alright for us. We could have been together. I told her everything."  
I felt my heart sink somewhat at those words and ran my hands comfortingly up and down her back, she started sobbing again.

"Well there's still your father who has the power to do that. now how about we get you inside, you need to be strong for Isabelle and your father."  
She nodded and attempted to walk but I was still holding all of her weight so she didn't really get very far.

"Let me carry you, you're completely drained."  
She nodded and I swung her legs over one of my arms, the other still had her back. Her arms went limply around my shoulders and her head didn't move.

"I love you…"  
She whispered once I had been walking for a while. I turned my head and kissed her forehead.

"I love you too. Now you need to get dry as soon as we get to your room. Is there a fire going in there?"  
She shrugged and I made a mental note to check.  
It wasn't long before I heard soft, even breathing from her. I smiled when I realised she had fallen asleep. But this did mean getting her warm would be more difficult.

She stirred as soon as I put her on her bed, her eyes were so disorientated and sad that it physically hurt to see her like this. She got changed by herself behind a screen, but had persuaded me to stay with her. She came out from the screen in a nightdress and unfastened robe. Her hair was still wet but out of its braid and falling lose to the bottom of her back. Her eyes were less puffy than before, but I could see the water droplets still on her face from where she had obviously splashed some over herself, despite all this, she was still the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. The moment she came out from behind the screen I opened my arms for her and she ran into them. We resumed our tight embrace from earlier and she let a few sobs loose into my shoulder again. I pulled her away slightly to look at her face.

"No more tears love. Your mother loved seeing you happy, so you've got to try. Please."  
She nodded at my plea and I pulled her back to me.

"What are we going to do John?"  
She murmured a few minutes later.

"We are going to take it day by day, hour by hour if need be. And things will work out, your father is a reasonable man and wants you and Isabelle to be happy, give it a few years and then we can try and be together."  
I whispered. She nodded and pulled her head back to look up at me.

"And in the meantime?"

"We carry on like we have been since last Christmas, your father has never found out about that and he never will. It's a necessary secret. But he does need to witness us getting closer."  
She nodded but then a flash of doubt flickered across her eyes.

"What if he wants me to marry someone before we can go to him though? What if he tried to tie me to Lord Thomas, or someone from another kingdom, what then?"  
She had started tearing up a little again and I ran my thumbs over the apples of her cheeks.

"Then, if the worst happens, I'll still be here and we can possibly carry on. It's happened in the past, I know that for sure. And if you do get sent away, I'll follow, I would gladly follow you anywhere Isla."  
She smiled and leaned her face up towards mine. I gladly accepted her unspoken offer of a kiss and we stayed like this, in one of the most intimate embraces we could be in, until we were interrupted by a knock on the door. We sprung apart in case the person just came in, but they knocked again. Isla called for them to come in and Isabelle's scared and tearful face peered around the corner. Isla gestured for her to come in and she slipped round the door, shut it and ran into Isla's outstretched arms. She didn't look like she had stopped crying all day, she was still crying now. Isla was gently shushing her and she sat down on the bed with her in her arms still. I sat down next to them and put an arm round Isla's shoulders.

"I hope you two get married."  
Isabelle finally whispered once her tears had subsided a little.

"But I hope you never have any children. I don't want you to die."  
She added after sobbing a few times into Isla's chest. It was amazing how fantastical Isabelle could be, but yet have such a grip on reality at the same time.

"Your father would have to agree to that first, and believe me Isabelle, nothing would ever happen to your sister."  
I whispered. She nodded and opened her arms to me. Isla transferred her over and she snuggled into my lap.

"You're all wet Elmont."  
She observed, she sounded very distracted.

"Well then I should go and Change. Are you staying in here tonight little princess?"  
She had insisted I call her that almost a year after I was appointed by their father, because she thought it was silly, I called Isla princess, but she was ten years older than Isabelle, so naturally she thought she should be called little princess. It had turned into a little joke between the three of us now and had stuck.

"You should. You can't be ill. And can I Isla? I don't want to be alone and I want to tell me a story, like mother does. Or did."  
She added and her voice sounded so dejected. Isla took her off me and I left to change as fast as I could. My room was at the other end of the corridor to theirs, still close enough that if anything happened I was near, but I also had a tiny one that was in the middle of both princess' rooms, and had a passage leading to it. It was secret and was only really used if there was a time of crisis, which there hadn't been in my time. That room couldn't even be classified as a room if I'm honest. It was little more than a cupboard with a tiny fireplace and a single bed shoved under the tiny slit for a window. It was extremely plain and for some reason could only be accessed by one of the doors into one of the princess' rooms or some concealed steps in the kitchen. They were so well concealed that it had taken me a whole day to find them when I was told about them by the king- he hadn't wanted to tell me exactly where, in case there was someone listening.

It took me no time at all to dress and when I returned to the two girls in Isla's room they were curled up under the covers and Isla was playing with Isabelle's hair. They were talking quietly and didn't notice me when I slipped in the room. They only noticed me when I cleared my throat. Isla smiled when she saw me and patted the bed on the other side of Isabelle. I raised an eyebrow and she indicated it more forcefully so I went over and sat on top of the covers.  
Isabelle curled into me, and as did Isla to some extent. This was going to be a long night indeed.

* * *

**Elmont, 21  
Isla, 21  
Isabelle, 10  
(Injury) Isabelle POV:**

Isla's no fun when she doesn't have Elmont here. He was sent away a few weeks ago to help with the fighting going on at the border. At first they were terrified that father had found out about them, but then Elmont's captain told him he had requested him.  
Isla had moped around for days before I finally convinced her to play outside with me, but I was starting to think she was going to be moody and upset for my birthday in a month if Elmont wasn't back soon. They had been writing to each other, Elmont started it on a little scrap of cloth we think he tore from one of his tunics, but Isla always only used one side of paper, Elmont always used the other, since, I'm guessing paper is hard to come by where he is. But the letters were infrequent and they depended on whether the messenger had to come back to cloister. But they did make Isla happy and she always read them over and over again, sometimes to me when I was with her and she got one. They always signed their initials, never their full names. I think it was the case of if father found out, they were both doomed, and if other guardians found out, Elmont was doomed. Isla had told me all about what had been going on with them since she was 17. I loved hearing the stories because they were so romantic and just lovely. He had stayed in her room the night before he left, but had been gone before it was light. Isla told me they didn't do anything, they just slept and talked, but I wasn't sure if I really believed them. On one hand, Isla and Elmont would never do anything like that, I don't think, and I would have heard them since my room's only next door, but they did love each other a lot, so maybe. It was all very confusing and very complicated.

But today, I had convinced her to take me outside and we were sat under a massive tree in the gardens and she was reading something and I was playing with one of my dolls.  
We were quiet and peaceful until someone running brought us out of our activities. Isla looked up, probably hoping it was Elmont, and looked out of sheer curiosity.  
It wasn't Elmont, it was Crawe, Elmont's best friend. But he looked worried, like something bad had happened. He bowed once he got close to us and Isla ran up to him. Throwing her book on the ground. She took his arm and they started whispering together and Isla gasped before Crawe pulled her off and they started running through the gardens to where Crawe had just come from. I had been told I wasn't allowed to go anywhere alone so I followed them, it was the safest thing to do after all.  
Crawe led Isla to the massive infirmary and I followed them through it. There were loads of injured soldiers, but Crawe kept going through the mass until he reached a set of rooms at the back. They stopped outside one and I couldn't follow any more so I ran outside. There was a wall I could climb up and the rooms at that end of the infirmary all had one big window. It was surprisingly hot today and most of them were open. I got to the one that was the one Isla and Crawe were stood outside and climbed up. I gasped as soon I saw who was inside.  
Elmont was lying on the bed, he had bandages all around his chest and stomach and all over his shoulders and the tops of his arms and blood was starting to come through them. The door opened and Isla and Crawe appeared. Isla's hands flew to her mouth and tears appeared in her eyes. Crawe shut the door and left them relatively alone.

"John what happened to you"?  
Isla whispered from the door. She still hadn't moved and just stood there in shock.

"We were ambushed, the group I was leading, we were meant to be looking for another place to set up a camp so we could attack secretly and the whole thing would be finished. I covered them while they escaped and took the worst of the beatings. They raised an alarm and came to help. You'll have to ask Crawe what happened because I was unconscious from blood loss and the next thing I knew was when I woke up, in a wagon for the wounded that they didn't hold much hope for and the dead. We were on our way back and we had won."  
Isla processed this in silence before rushing over to sit on the edge of the bed and grasp his hand.

"It sounds like you took a bad beating. Are you alright now?"  
She almost whispered. He nodded.

"I will be. If you come closer."  
He murmured in a tone I didn't recognise, but it made Isla blush and giggle and it obviously meant something since she leaned down and kissed him.  
One of his hands came up to weave into her hair that was loose and only had a little diamond and opal hair comb holding her curls up and the shorter parts from her face while the rest cascaded down her back, and I think the other hand had found her knee. One of hers mirrored his but on his cheek and another was gently placed on his hip. They kissed for a long time until Elmont broke away and coughed a little. Isla sat back worried and stroked his forehead until he stopped.

"Do you want water?"  
She asked. He nodded and she stood to pour him a glass from the pitcher on the side.

"I've always loved that dress on you."  
He muttered. She turned and smiled at him.

"It's one of my favourites."  
She giggled and helped him sit up so he could drink.  
I loved that dress too and I had given it to her as a Christmas present. It matched her cross that Elmont had given her. The front was very low, showing off a lot of her chest-father didn't like this, and the sleeves only grazed the tops of her shoulders before falling tightly to her wrists and ending in dark blue velvet cuffs, little light and dark blue swirled buttons fastened them all the way down and ruffled the fabric slightly at every button and you would be able to see skin in the little holes between the buttons, but father made the tailor put dark blue velvet in them because he thought it was inappropriate. The rest of the dress was fairly normal in what it looked like but she didn't wear a corset with it since there was one in it-father of course thought this was immoral, the whole dress was tailored to her figure, so it synched in her tiny waist, accentuated her chest and hips and made her legs look longer than they were. The dress was silver and seemed to shimmer whenever she walked, but there was a really hard triangle on the front which was dark blue velvet and had silver and light blue embroidery, I had no idea what the embroidery was, but after studying it for almost an hour on Christmas day, Isla had declared it was the story of Psyche and Eros- the corset was concealed under that, and it had to be pinned on with special kinds of curved pins on either side. I thought it was a fairy dress when I bought it her and I was convinced when she put it on for the first time.

"I remember, when you took me through the story on the front. You looked so dreamy and beautiful."  
He sighed. Tracing a fingertip over the delicate embroidery on the front of the dress. Isla shivered and his hand fell to her thigh. I was shocked that she didn't move when he did that.

"It was such a beautiful day and I love that story so I couldn't help but be dreamy."  
She giggled and Elmont gave her the glass back. She put it on the table next to him and took his hand off her thigh.

"Now tell me, John Elmont, what is it you want for your birthday?"  
She hummed, lacing their fingers together.

"Isla, I've told you so many times, I don't want anything, well only to spend the day with you, and perhaps Isabelle would be enough."  
He chuckled, I felt slightly proud to be classed as that dear to Elmont.

"No. You must have something to unwrap."  
She giggled and he pulled her close to him so she was sat next to him on the bed. He turned a cheeky eye to her and grinned.

"You?"  
They both burst out laughing. But stopped immediately when Elmont started coughing.

"We both know that's impossible. Now a serious answer please."  
Isla giggled.

"I have no idea love. But come back tonight and I might have an answer for you."  
She smiled and kissed him again, but this time more gentle than the last.

"I'll be here at eleven. Have an answer for me, I might bring you something too."  
She looked devious and I was immediately curious, but Elmont looked like the cat who had just gotten the cream.

"Alright, eleven. I'll be awake."  
He promised. And Isla kissed him again before standing and walking over to the door. She turned with her hand still on the handle.

"I love you."  
She murmured.

"I love you too. I'll wait for you tonight."  
He replied, she nodded and opened the door. Crawe turned round and started to lead her away. Elmont looked at the closed door and lay back in the pillows, smiling happily.

"Hello Isabelle..."  
He called. I gasped and pulled myself up onto the window ledge.

"How did you know I was here?"  
I demanded, quite put out at getting caught.

"Well for one, you weren't with your sister and it's such a nice day I doubt you would pass up an opportunity to go outside with her."  
I pouted and he looked at me, smiling.

"And plus, I heard you giggling and then gasp when I put my hand on your sister's thigh. She heard it too I think."  
He smiled up at me and I groaned.

"You think she's mad?"  
I asked sadly.

"No little princess. She loves your dreamy disposition and love of everything romantic."  
I smiled at the name he only called me now, if I was upset, or showed signs of becoming upset and nodded.

"Can you persuade her to bake today? I really want one of her apple pies."  
I giggled.

"You mean the only thing she can cook, which just so happens to be really nice?"  
He smiled and nodded.

"Yes. But don't let on I asked you."  
I nodded and smiled secretively.

"Of course I can get her to bake. If I can come and visit you tomorrow and share if she brings you one tonight."  
He considered for a second before nodding.

"Deal. I shall see you tomorrow. You had better get down off there before Isla catches wind of your mission."  
He winked at me and I giggled and slipped over the ledge.  
Isla was coming round the corner when my feet touched the ground and she ran up to me and caught me in her arms.

"So what were you doing up there little miss Isabelle."  
She sang and lifted me up.

"Nothing! Nothing!"  
I squealed and she put me down.

"Alright I was listening. But I couldn't help it, you went off in such a hurry."  
Isla nodded and took my hand.

"Shall we go home now?"  
She asked, I nodded and started skipping off in the direction of the castle, tugging Isla along behind me.

* * *

**Elmont, 24  
Isla, 23  
Isabelle, 13  
(Engagement) General POV:**

Elmont kept glancing at his pocket, inside was something very precious. He wound his way through the castle until he reached King Brahmwell's study. The young man took a breath and knocked. A voice from inside called for him to enter, which he did and closed the door with shaky hands.  
Inside were seven men, the king and his six advisors. Each of them looked up when the door closed. The king gestured to the space in front of desk and Elmont stood and bowed respectfully. The king gestured for him to speak.

"Sire, I wish to ask your permission to marry your daughter Isla."  
He asked, a few of the men sat behind him gasped and made noises of disapproval.

"I've been expecting this Elmont, ever since you two came to me last year."  
Elmont nodded and a man behind him stood.

"Sire, this is preposterous, he is merely a knight."  
Elmont turned to him.

"Actually Lord Thomas, I'm one of the youngest and most capable there is in Cloister, my captain has already expressed his wishes for me to take over from him which according to him will likely be before I reach thirty. My family is one of the wealthiest in the kingdom and above all, I love the princess more than, well anything in this world. She is more dear to me than my own life."  
Thomas didn't look pleased.

"And how would you plan to keep the princess happy? You cannot rely on your family's wealth."  
Elmont smiled again.

"I am paid well by his majesty and also by my captain, my family deposits money in my account every year, a substantial amount as well, I have asked them not to but they carry on and the balance is almost a monstrous amount since I have never had cause to use much of the money in there, it swells every year with the interest as well, It's more than enough, for even my whole family to live on for the rest of their days and there is eight of us, I have five sisters your lordship."  
Lord Thomas didn't look pleased and he sat down grumbling.

"Elmont, I'm not concerned with your financial plans as I know they're sound. But my daughters are close to my heart and more precious to me than any jewel man can possibly find, I need your assurance you are an honourable man."  
Elmont almost flinched under the king's stare but held his ground.

"Sire I am almost insulted you would consider me as like that, should you grant me your permission I can guarantee Isla's safety and utmost happiness. I would never even consider raising a finger against her in a harmful manner. I own a secure house in the city not far from the palace, granted I don't use it often, but I know it is safe and completely sound, no harm would come to your daughter there."

"You mean to take my daughter away from me?"  
The king looked a little hurt and shocked.

"If she wished to live there then we would, if not I would respect her wishes and be happy with whatever she would decide."  
The king nodded.

"You have my blessing, but I need your assurance you will bring her to this study once your engagement has been decided, I trust you plan on asking her today?"  
He nodded towards Elmont's pocket and he nodded.

"My greatest thanks your majesty. You will not regret your choice."  
He beamed, bowed and exited the room. As soon as the door closed a cacophony of disapprovals erupted from the advisors. Elmont grinned and pulled the box from his pocket. He opened it and examined the ring inside. It was beautiful. There was a moderately sized diamond set on a white gold band and surrounded by tiny rubies. It was simple enough but befitting of a princess. Elmont had talked Isabelle into talking Isla into wearing red today, she knew of his plans and had been very excitable.  
He snapped the box shut and set off to find her. He reached a window that overlooked the gardens and smiled at the sight. Isla was playing with Isabelle, a game she had favourited since she was a young child it involved hopping and jumping up a number line after a stone, he had joined in when Isabelle had been small but now enjoyed watching more.

He watched Isla in particular and approved silently of Isabelle's work, she was dressed in red and white but it was getting cold outside so the top was red velvet and the long sleeves came up high on her shoulders, almost to the point they could be classed as a collar. It then dipped behind her, revealing a white dress with a square neckline embroidered with red, but the red velvet came back into the dress on back of the skirt where it fell across the back of her legs and to the floor in ruffles, it was almost as iff there was a jacket attached to the whole thing. The skirt was the same pattern as the top in white with red embroidery. His grin grew when she lifted her dress slightly at the front to reveal her red heels encasing her dainty feet. Isabelle saw him watching them and waved Isla looked up sharply and her face softened immediately upon seeing Elmont, she waved too and he blew her a kiss before jumping off the sill he was sat on to go down into the garden.

Once outside, Isla ran up to him and he caught her in his arms. Both were smiling happily. He kissed her once briefly and took her hands in his. Isabelle squealed and clapped her hands, bouncing up and down on the spot in joy.

"Isla, I love you, you make me so happy and ever since I met you face to face eight years ago I have been so deeply in love with you. You are the first image in my head in the morning and the last at night, I confess I did have a crush on you before I met you, but my feelings only escalated in our time knowing each other. That Christmas all those years ago, I thought I was dreaming and I would wake up at any time. I thought I couldn't possibly be that happy, but it turns out I can, and it is in your hands to make it so."  
He bent down on one knee, Isla gasped and her hands flew to her mouth as tears appeared in her eyes. He retrieved the ring from its box and held her left hand in his.

"I have been to your father today and asked to marry you, he has given his blessing and now I'm asking you. Will you marry me and make my life truly happy."  
A single tear rolled down her cheek.

"Of course I will! You are without a doubt the most amazing man I have ever met! I love you so much!"  
He stood and slid the ring on her finger and looked at her, she was now beaming with joy, matching Elmont's own grin.

"We have to go and tell your father, but first…"  
He leaned down and caught her lips in his passionately and possessively, but still somewhat gentle.  
Her hands came up to tangle in his hair and his encircled her waist tightly. They broke apart when Isabelle squealed.

"You two are going to get married! I'm so excited!"  
She cried. Elmont and Isla opened their embrace to her and she ran into them and hugged them both around the waist.

"You need to tell father now, oh and mother needs to know."  
She said, breaking away from them.

"Of course, do you want to go straight after you have been to your father?"  
Elmont asked. Isla nodded.

"Isabelle, you are welcome to come as well. Now off to your father's study."  
Elmont cried joyfully, trying to take their minds off their mother until later.

"Father thank you!"  
Isla near enough screamed when she burst into her father's study. She immediately ran over to where he was sat and flung her arms around his neck. King Brahmwell chuckled and patted his daughter's back. She let go and he slid a hand around her cheek.

"I'm going to be so happy father, thank you."  
She whispered, she hadn't stopped smiling since the ring had touched her finger. The king smiled at his eldest daughter.

"I'm glad you will be happy. I couldn't have picked a better match myself."  
Almost every advisor in the room knew that to be untrue, Lord Thomas had had his sights set on Isla for years. The queen had known it and forbidden him from going anywhere near her daughter, but since she was no longer living, Thomas had been trying at every opportunity to gain Isla's hand. And now the ultimate fail had happened to his plans.

Isla stood to leave the room and Elmont bowed respectfully with one hand over his heart in a gesture of unspoken and innumerable thanks. The king smiled at him in return and the door closed behind the newly engaged couple and Isabelle.

* * *

**Elmont, 25  
Isla, 24  
Isabelle, 14  
(Wedding) Isabelle POV:**

The first day of spring, I'm so excited! I don't think Isla slept much last night, I know I didn't. I was too excited. Isla is getting married today. She's getting married to Elmont after months of preparation and tedious dress fittings. I love my dress though, I'm Isla's only bridesmaid and Crawe is Elmont's best man. But my dress is mostly red, except for a wide white sash round my waist and tiny white ruffles at my neck, the ends of the short puffy sleeves and the hem. There is a slit up the front too and inside that is also white, but you can only see that when I walk. It shimmers too, in the sunlight, my whole dress turns shimmery, I think it looks beautiful, but Isla is wearing mother's dress and she looks like an angel. It is really old fashioned, but I don't think anyone will care, it was mother's wedding dress and both me and Isla will wear it since she won't be able to see either one of us marry.  
Her dress is purely white shimmery fabric and lace. It leaves a lot of her chest exposed because the fabric only comes up a little way in a heart shape, but then the lace covers her to her collar bone where it goes straight across and encases her arms tightly in lace that has two little hooks that go over her middle finger so triangles that cover the tops of her hands stay put. There's a ruffled sash that goes around her waist then a long quite full skirt, overlaid with the same lace as at the top and then going into a really full train or lace at the back. We couldn't find mother's veil but the tailor who made my dress also helped make mother's when he was an apprentice and he found enough lace that matched the dress to make a voluminous veil that could then be attached to Isla's tiara. It fell down to her waist and covered her front to where the fabric ended on her bodice. Her hair was going to be pulled up with only wispy curly bits framing her face and she was wearing her cross that Elmont had given her, and looked like an absolute angel.

Her room was the busiest in the castle today, except probably the kitchens, but she was just sat at her vanity staring at her reflection. She was nervous, I could tell that, but she kept pinching her cheeks.

"Isla what are you doing?"  
I asked, grabbing her hands, she looked at me when I sat down next to her.

"I don't like wearing makeup and this gives me a blush, plus, I keep thinking I'm going to wake up any second and all of this is going to be a dream."  
She said softly, well almost whispered.

"Well I know It's not a dream. Elmont gave me this yesterday."  
I handed her a piece of folded paper and she took it with shaking hands. Her face creased into a smile as she read it.

"Well, what does it say?"  
I asked, the question had been annoying me since I was given it, but out of respect for Isla and Elmont I hadn't looked.

"Isla, I know I won't be able to see you this morning until you walk up the aisle to me and I also know that you're nervous, I could see it in your eyes last night darling, and I can assure you I'm so much more nervous than you, I wouldn't be surprised if by the time you're reading this Crawe hasn't decided to knock me out. But despite the nervousness, I have one image in my mind, your beautiful face, smiling and your eyes glittering, like they do when you're excited or happy. Since I can't be there to say this to you in person, then I suppose words on a sheet of paper will have to do. I love you Isla, from the bottom of my heart and for the rest of my days. John."  
She smiled and folded the note up and slipped it into a box on her vanity which looked like it had other notes in it too.

"You're so lucky. But what else is in there?"  
I whispered. Isla opened the box and revealed many more letters.

"All the letters we ever sent each other. We always used the same sheet of paper like when he was fighting a few years ago. 'Someday I'll show you them all, but we barely have time today, you need to get dressed and so do I. are you having tour hair down?"  
I nodded and she took out the two little ruby and diamond combs she had worn when Elmont proposed from a little silver box.

"Pull it back slightly so it doesn't hide your beautiful face, do you want me to do your hair when you're dressed?"  
I nodded and left her to get her hair done.  
When I returned, I was fully dressed in my dress and her hair was all up above her head, She had gone against the bun idea that had been the favourite before, and there were now twists forming a wall to slide the tiara against and a bump of hair then it cascaded down her back but in tighter curls than normal so it was shorter, the wispy bits were still framing her face though. I gasped when she turned to face me when I entered the room.

"You look beautiful!"  
I gasped, tears threatened to roll down my face and she smiled and opened her arms to me. I ran into them and hugged her tightly.

"As do you Belle, now sit, I'll do your hair."  
I obeyed and sat at her vanity, she arranged my hair in a style she loved and often wore herself, with one comb at the back of her head or two slightly on the sides. She finished and she kissed the top of my head before resting hers on my shoulder. We just stared at our reflections for a few minutes until a maid interrupted saying it was almost time to be at the church so Isla had to get ready. She left me at her vanity to go behind the dressing screen in her room. When she emerged, I just couldn't stop the tears. She just looked so beautiful. She sat at her vanity so I could arrange her veil and tiara, she couldn't stop smiling and my vision kept blurring because of pesky tears.  
Father came in just as I finished with the veil and he gasped when she looked up at him and smiled.

"My god Isla. If your mother were here, she would be in tears, well like Isabelle is now."  
He chuckled, but we could see how hard he was trying to hold back his own emotions he walked up to her and pulled her upright.

"You my dear are an angel, and if John Elmont hurts you in any way, there will be hell to pay."  
She smiled and ran her hand over his cheek.

"He would never father. And speaking of John, shouldn't we be going?"  
Father sighed and I picked up her red and white bouquet.

"I suppose so, but I don't want to rush today, it's the last day I get my eldest daughter all to myself."  
She giggled and pulled the front part of her veil over her face, Father arranged it perfectly and offered her his arm, she took it and took her bouquet from me.

"Alright. Slowly, but you know I'll always love you father."  
She said softly, he made a noise of agreement and we left Isla's room.  
We talked about various things on the journey to the church, mostly about old times, but the journey went quickly and I was first into the church, Elmont looked extremely handsome in his formal uniform, but so nervous, Crawe was obviously whispering things to him to try and keep him calm but it clearly wasn't working. As soon as I reached the top of the aisle I winked at him and gave him a reassuring smile. He returned it less half-heartedly and his gaze snapped to the back of the church when there were gasps and people started standing. I smiled at his reaction to Isla's appearance. As soon as he saw her his jaw dropped and his eyes filled with love. Through the veil I could see her eyes had found and locked onto his. It was like they could only see each other. They reached the top and father slipped his arm out of Isla's and kissed her cheek, whispering something into her ear which made her smile. He took his seat and she took her place beside Elmont in front of the alter and the priest began. In my opinion it didn't take much time at all for Isla to get emotional, she started tearing up properly when they recited their vows though, but a tear only slipped down her cheek when Elmont slid the ring onto her finger. They both looked overjoyed when pronounced officially married and kissed for the first time in public. His hands cradled her head and they just stared into each other's eyes for a bit before turning to leave the church amid thunderous applause. Once they were outside, Crawe and I brought out the bags of flower petals we had been hiding and emptied them over the happy couple. They didn't seem to mind, they were in a world of their own but they did laugh when the petals settled in various awkward places.  
The reception was back at the castle, but they rode back, as well as going on a ride through the city. Elmont pulled her up behind her on his horse and she threw her bouquet, I caught it obviously and that set Isla off laughing before wrapping her arms around Elmont's waist and laying her head on his shoulder blade. He set them off at a measured canter to the sound of cheering and applauding coming from the crowd that had gathered, not only from the wedding guests, but also the general population of Cloister.

I wove my way through the streets, following Father's instructions on how to find Isla ad Elmont's new house. I finally wound up at a huge house on the other side of the city to the gates, but not very far from the castle, Father had sent me on a massive trudge around the city only to end up a few minutes away from home. The house was nice, it was two floors, the roof was slate and there were two windows either side of the door and one huge arched one above the door. The front of the house was covered in vines that crept up from the bushes along the front. There was a small wall going round the house with an iron fence attached on top and a bit iron gate at the bottom of a path, lined for yards and yards with grass and flowers, the grass curved round the house with the wall and fence, it looked perfect, like a home just waiting for a family to fill it. I sauntered up the path after slipping through the gate and noted all the shutters on the windows were open and all the windows were open, meaning I could see into the house a little. As soon as I reached the door it opened, a plump middle aged woman greeted me and told me the happy couple were upstairs, still in bed. I nodded and she said I could wake them if I wanted and she showed me up to their room. I knocked lightly on the door and heard a quiet call to come in from inside. I opened the door slowly and peeked my head in. Elmont was lying in bed with the covers only covering his bottom half and his torso was fully exposed and bare. I blushed and looked away.

"Do you want me to leave?"  
I asked. He chuckled and said I could turn around.

"Elmont you haven't got a shirt on."  
I whispered and sat gently on the other side of the bed.

"No, but I have pants on and I don't know where Isla's nightdress is so she'll want something when she wakes up now that you're here."  
My eyes widened. They weren't wearing any clothes? Oh my.

"Isla will explain everything Isabelle. Now should I wake her?"  
He chuckled. I had only just realised that he had probably been lying on his side for quite a while, watching her sleep because his finger was absently tracing parts of her face and hair. She was lying on her back but it was obvious she had been rolled over a bit ago.

"No, she looks so young like this."  
I whispered, running a finger over my sister's cheek. The thick covers were only covering her chest barely so where her chest swelled was accentuated and very visible, nearly up to a point it would be deemed inappropriate for her to be like that while I was in the room.

"She does indeed. But still, just absolutely beautiful."  
He whispered and kissed her temple. I smiled widely. It was obvious just how much Elmont loved my sister. One of his hands pulled the covers higher up on her chest so she wasn't quite so exposed and his arm fell limp across her. She snuggled closer to him and rolled over so her face was pressed against his bare chest. The cover slipped down her back and revealed her porcelain back. Elmont smiled and ran his hands through her hair lovingly I smiled and pulled the cover higher up Isla's back. They were absolutely beautiful together but the moment was broken by Elmont's stomach growling.

"I think you had better wake her up."  
I giggled, he looked a little bashful and bent his head to kiss her. She moaned appreciatively and turned her head up give him better access. He smiled and carried on his assault. Her eyes finally fluttered open and he rolled them over so she was on her back.

"Good morning my darling."  
He whispered. She smiled and threaded her hands through his hair.

"Good morning handsome."  
She replied and pulled him down for a kiss.

"Oh I can definitely get used to waking up like this."  
She giggled when they broke away.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to it. It's just so wonderful."  
Elmont sighed and kissed her again.

"Oh and Isabelle's here."  
He chuckled before his lips moved to her neck.  
Isla stiffened and looked over at me.

"Hello Isabelle. How are you?"  
She chuckled. And attempted to push Elmont away.

"I'm just brilliant this morning. And yourself? How was your first night as a married woman?"  
Both Isla and Elmont smiled ridiculously wide at this and he pulled back to settle behind her after reaching down to retrieve his shirt from the floor and giving it to Isla.

"John, why don't you go and get us some breakfast and supervise some hot water for a bath."  
He raised an eyebrow as she slipped his shirt on over her head.

"You know as well as I do that I need one."  
He looked a little guilty and bowed his head.

"Ah, yes…"  
I was curious about what they were talking about but I decided not to ask.

"Take your time John, you can pick from what father sent the other night."  
He smiled and slipped out of the bed, leaned down to kiss her lingeringly once again and left the room. Isla watched him go before turning to me. She patted the space next to her and I lay down on my side facing her.

"So, how are you this morning?"  
I asked, she smiled dreamily.

"To tell you the truth, I am a little sore, but Isabelle, I couldn't be happier."  
She smiled at me with tears in her eyes and a breeze blew in through the window. Isla threw back the covers and swung her long legs over the side so she could close the window. I gasped when she moved.

"Isla? Is it 'that time of the month'?"  
I asked cautiously.

"No, why?"  
She turned her head to me from where she was reaching up to fasten the shutters.

"There's blood on the sheets… Are you alright?"  
She smiled at me and sat back down on the bed, there was blood on her leg too.

"Isla, what happened? Elmont didn't hurt you did he?"  
She smiled and lay back down under the covers.

"He did. But…"  
I gasped and interrupted her.

"Well then we have to tell father, I don't understand why you're smiling like that, this is serious."  
She burst out laughing and I just got more confused.

"I probably should have told you this when you started to bleed. But on a woman's first time, the man has to break something, inside them."  
I nodded, a little less confused now but still extremely perplexed.

"And that causes the blood. It also causes pain, so on your first time it will hurt Isabelle, but only for a second and then, oh Isabelle, it turns into the most wonderful pleasure."  
I nodded, she looked so happy so this must be true.

"But how does the man break this thing?"  
She shifted, slightly uncomfortably now I think.

"With… um, his. I don't quite know how to describe this to you. A woman has nothing down there, but a man has something."  
She sighed 'something' and smiled at this point and carried on.

"And that goes inside where you bleed from and it breaks this barrier. And, well you know the rest, and I'm still a little sore but I didn't even know I had muscles down there."  
She giggled. I nodded, taking all this in.

"So why do it then if you know it will hurt?"  
She looked at me sympathetically and ran a hand down my cheek.

"Because that's how you make children. It needs a man and a woman, in wedlock, and it is the typical activity for the wedding night, that's why our clothes are everywhere. We were um, a little excited."  
She giggled and I just nodded and flung my arms around my sister.

"I thought you didn't want children after what happened to mother."  
I whispered. She stroked my hair comfortingly.

"John and I both want children more than anything Belle, despite what happened to mother, if I die like that, then I die, but I can't wait to have a child. A little boy, with his father's bright blue eyes."  
I could hear the smile in her voice and it made me forget my fears about losing her.

"So tell me, what was last night like? I want to know, you've made me curious."  
She giggled and I leaned back out of her embrace but one of her hands lingered on my cheek.

"It was magical. We got here a few minutes after we left all of you at the ceremony, he carried me through the door and up the stairs, I couldn't stop giggling for some reason, but when we got in here he put me down and kissed me, then left. I had no idea what was going on, but someone came in to help me change so I guess I was less confused then. But when he came back in, Isabelle he was so nervous! His hands wouldn't stop shaking, but that was the same with me as well, and he kissed me, it was like nothing I've ever experienced, but he was so gentle and he touched me everywhere, and he kissed me everywhere."

"Even 'there'?"  
I asked incredulously, she nodded, I made a face of disgust and Isla laughed.

"Isabelle, it was amazing, nothing had ever felt so good before. But then he kissed me again and he apologised, I had no idea why, but well you know why now. It hurt, quite a bit actually, but he just kept apologising and he didn't look anywhere except my eyes and he kept kissing me so softly and the pain went after a few seconds, and, Isabelle, I don't think I've ever felt so happy when he started, um, moving. It was amazing, he was so slow at first I thought I would just fall apart, but then it got faster and faster and then just, well I think, exploded would be the right phrase since I don't exactly remember much, but it felt wonderful, like nothing on this earth."  
She sounded so wistful, and that wasn't a very 'Isla-like' emotion, so it must have been all true, but I was slightly confused by the 'explosion' description. Elmont stopped anymore questions by bursting back into the room, followed by the woman I was let in by before, carrying a tray covered in all sorts of things. He literally jumped on to the bed and crawled down over Isla. The woman handed me the tray and smiled fondly at my sister and Elmont before leaving.  
They were muttering to each other, mostly 'I love you's from what I could hear but they looked so happy, like they could barely believe they were together. I smiled and picked up a piece of fruit and just watched the moment. It ended when Isla's stomach growled and he settled behind her again so they could both eat.

"We were planning on going for a ride today, do you want to come Isabelle?"  
Elmont asked, nonchalantly and reached for another slice of their wedding cake. I looked at Isla who nodded.

"Of course, but are you two not going away?"  
Isla chuckled and reached for a strawberry.

"No, what would you do if you didn't have me here, and father would be hard put to find someone he trusted as much as John to keep an eye on you."  
She laughed so I knew she was joking, and I laughed too but she carried on.

"And plus, we didn't want to."  
She smiled and teased Elmont with the strawberry before eventually squashing it on his cheek. She giggled and tried to hide from him but he ticked her sides and she kissed the juice off his face.

Breakfast didn't last long and I was asked to get our three horses ready. I was told to take my time in getting changed and my task since Isla needed to bathe, but the last thing I heard before I shut the door, which I think they thought I couldn't hear, was Elmont asking;

"Want some company?"  
And Isla giggling,

"Of course."  
Back to him. It confused me how you could have a joint bath so I made a mental note to ask Isla later, she would tell me, I think.

* * *

**Elmont, 25  
Isla, 25  
Isabelle, 14  
(Suicide attempt) Isla/Elmont POV:**

(Isla POV_, Elmont POV_)  
Never in my life have I felt so defeated. Roderick is the cause for this mood, and these tears too. I'm surprised none of the other women in the house noticed my state. I slammed the door with such force that a few of the shutters on the windows rattled and the same when I stormed up to the bedroom. I refuse to believe nobody heard me when I flung myself on the bed in tears and just cried into a pillow. My tears finally lessened when I had almost cried myself to sleep, but I foolishly chose that time to look around the room, it was getting dark but for some reason the bath was still in front of the hearth from this morning. It would be cold now and the fire had died down so the whole room was chilly.  
A sudden thought entered my head. What if…

I stood and walked over to the bath, it was cold but that didn't matter so I sunk in, not even bothering to take my dress off or unclip my hair, it didn't matter.

_Someone had told me Isla had run home upset, I registered this but just made a mental note to be more sensitive later. She was never really in a very social mood when she had been upset, so she was just a little difficult to deal with, but she had come home upset a few times and just wanted a reassuring cuddle and dinner in bed.  
The king had given me permission to leave Isabelle early to go to her so as soon as Isabelle was settled with her father in his study I left and almost ran home. Not one of the staff we had at our house knew where she was, only that she had disappeared upstairs when she came home, they didn't know how long ago that had been, but they hadn't heard anything from her so I assumed she was asleep but just to be sure I needed to check on her, for my own sanity at least._

_Our room was dark and cold when I went in, the shutters were closed, they needed to be open at least a little since there was still light outside and I wanted to get the fire going to warm the room up a bit, and so I could see more. The curtains on the bed were closed so I couldn't see anything past them.  
The shutters banged open, a sound which should have awakened Isla if she was sleeping, I was confused as to why it hadn't so I went over to the bed, she wasn't on it but one of the pillows was slightly damp, she had been crying… and wasn't here, I was suddenly frantic and for some reason my eyes fell on the bath, she wouldn't…would she?_

_I decided I had to know, so I crept over. My heart stopped at what I saw, my wife was lying in there, her long hair was flowing over her face, and she looked so peaceful, terrifyingly peaceful.  
She didn't move when I reached in and pulled her out, getting water everywhere, she was horrifyingly unresponsive and her chest wasn't moving. My hand fell on her stomach, her corset of course. She would hate me for this but the dress and corset could be replaced, the dress was soon ripped down the front and I used my knife to cut the corset strings, She was soaked to the skin but as soon as the corset was gone she coughed up some water. Her eyes fluttered open and found mine. I breathed a sigh of relief and turned her onto her side so I could run for help. The woman who ran the house and made a lot of the food we had agreed to go for the doctor. She seemed as worried as me and ushered me back upstairs with several freshly ironed things, still warm and told me to dress Isla in one of them. I nodded and raced back upstairs. She was still lying on her side where I had left her, unmoving which scared me._

"_Isla, love you need to change."  
She shook her head and her shoulders hitched. I ran over and turned her over, she was crying again so I pulled her into my chest. She just cried into my clothes._

"_Come on, change. You'll catch your death staying in that sodden chemise."  
She finally nodded and let me dry her and get a warm clean nightdress on her. Her mood seemed to change when I got her into bed, she was still crying, but softly now._

"_What's wrong?"  
I whispered. She shook her head and she curled tightly into my chest._

"_The doctor will be here soon love, you need to calm down a little."  
She pulled back in shock._

"_The doctor? John I'm fine! I'm talking to you aren't I?"  
She gasped, and then coughed._

"_You are talking to me, but I just want to know you're definitely alright. I have no idea how long you were in there for."  
She sighed and nodded and my hand rubbed her back slowly, attempting to generate some heat while she curled tightly into my body._

The doctor took longer than I thought to make sure I was alright, but I lay here and didn't complain for John's sake. He just stood to the side looking like he would fall apart. I think he was blaming himself for not being there sooner, I felt horrible when the doctor took him outside the room for a 'quiet word', and just burst into tears again before falling asleep.

"_I know it isn't my place, but sir Elmont, but is there anything sinister happening in this house? I noticed some faint bruising as if from a hand."  
I couldn't believe what I was hearing._

"_No, I saw them a few days ago but she told me she had fallen off her horse and the squire who helped her gripped her a little too tight. Believe me doctor, I love my wife and would never lift a finger to harm her."  
The doctor nodded as if he didn't quite believe this story, in truth I didn't quite believe it but it was what Isla had told me and I had left it at that._

"_Do you know why she might want to commit such an act?"  
I shook my head dumbly._

"_She hasn't spoken to me about anything that might warrant this."  
He hummed in acknowledgement and nodded once slowly._

"_You can create fire in there and just let her sleep, she is in no imminent danger but she needs rest."  
I nodded and thanked him before nodding to the woman who had brought him to see him out. I sighed and turned to go back into the room. Isla was sleeping soundly and peacefully but the tear tracks and flushed cheeks ruined her angelic appearance.  
The fire was made and roaring away when I climbed back into bed with her in only my sleep pants. She curled up against me when I wrapped my arms around her tightly and buried my head in her hair. I'm glad she wasn't awake because she didn't see the silent tears slip down my cheeks into her hair._

I don't think being dead is meant to feel like this, warm and somewhat safe. I thought it was meant to be white, not dark. But waking up more, it turned out I was very much alive, and very much safe in John's arms. He was sleeping soundly and his arms were wrapped securely around my waist. It wasn't often I got a chance to watch my husband sleep, so I decided to let him have his rest for a while. He looked so peaceful. I traced a fingertip along his cheekbone and down to his chin running a finger over the growing goatee on his chin. I held back a giggle thinking about our conversation a few days ago, he had been standing in front of the mirror for about ten minutes, raising the razor to his face and then putting it down again. I had laughed, saying he was being silly and that he wouldn't suit a beard, but how wrong I had been. He was starting to look even more handsome the more he let it grow, right now it was little more than glorified stubble that he was playing with shapes with, but I think the current one had been settled on.  
His lips twitched under my fingertip and he kissed it.

"Sorry."  
I whispered. I knew he was a light sleeper, but I hadn't realised he was this light. He shook his head and tightened his arms around my waist but his eyes still didn't open.

"It's alright, as long as it was you who woke me."  
I smiled and his eyes opened, he looked down at me seriously.

"Isla, I was terrified, I thought I was going to lose you. Why would you do a thing like that?"  
He whispered I held back a sob at his tone.

"I don't know John, it just seemed like the only thing to do at the time."  
His eyes took on a look of defeat.

"The only thing? Isla you could have come to me. I always have time for you, no matter what I'm doing. Why were you feeling so bad anyway?"  
I let a few tears roll down my cheeks and looked away from him. I couldn't tell him what actually happened could I? No I couldn't, Roderick would find out and have him sent away which I would not be able to handle.

"I just went to visit mother and it really sunk in how much she's missed and how much I miss her. And how much she will miss, I mean, John, she'll miss her first grandchild if we do have children. Isabelle wouldn't have to be forced into a marriage for the sake of the kingdom because Charlie would be alive. It all just sunk in quite suddenly."  
He seemed to believe me which was a relief, and he just pulled me tighter against him.

"Promise me you will find me if you ever feel like that again…"  
He whispered. I nodded against his chest and he kissed the top of my head.

"You're never scared John."  
I almost giggled up at him. He managed a smile and tickled my side.

"I was terrified. When I saw you in there, so pale and not moving, I was frantic, by the way I owe you a new corset and dress."  
I raised an eyebrow.

"The dress is ripped down the front and I had to cut the corset strings. I wasn't going to waste any time in getting you out of them so you could breathe."  
I nodded. and lay my head on his chest.

"I'll hold you to that, you're taking me shopping when I'm walking again. And John, can you not tell father and Isabelle about this?"  
He groaned.

"John, please…"  
I whispered. He sighed.

"Fine. But you have to come to me if you're feeling this low again, or even if you just want a hug or a kiss."  
I smiled and agreed.

"So what do you think about a red dress?"  
I chuckled, he did too.

"I think, you would look stunning. Now are you hungry or do you want anything, anything at all?"  
I smiled.

"I'm perfectly fine for the moment thank you, I just want to lie here with you."  
He moaned in appreciation of my decision and leaned back further into the bedding.

* * *

**Elmont, 26  
Isla, 25  
Isabelle, 15  
(Christian) Isabelle POV:**

I knew Elmont was worried about Isla, he wasn't paying much attention to our game of Chess than he usually would. We were confined to inside and he had no training to do today.

"So why is she seeing a healer?"  
I asked, for what seemed like the hundredth time this morning. He sighed and ran a hand over his face and through his hair.

"For illness of varying types."  
He sighed. I nodded and moved one of my pieces into checkmate.

"I win again. And there's something you're not telling me Elmont. What is it?"  
He shook his head.

"Nothing. I'm just thinking. Well done."  
He muttered absentmindedly and started re-setting the board.

"Elmont. Another game, I'm bored of Chess. Cards perhaps."  
He nodded and turned to the sideboard to retrieve a pack of cards. He dealt them out and they started a game. His attention was drawn by a sudden clap of thunder. He stood and went over to the window and left his cards with me, so I looked of course. He came to sit back down and I smiled sweetly at him, he returned it and picked his cards back up.  
I won so he made to throw his cards playfully at me when another clap of thunder struck.

"John…"  
His head shot up at Isla's voice.  
She was stood just inside the door, leaning back against it and smiling widely.

"Throwing things at Isabelle. Shameful behaviour."  
She chuckled and sauntered across the room to him. Her hands slid around his shoulders and she slid onto his lap.

"I'm most sorry my love, grant me your forgiveness or I don't know how I shall sleep tonight."  
He murmured, rumbling low from his chest. She hummed quietly and rubbed her nose against his. I looked away and went to close the curtains.

"You are forgiven. But there is something I have to tell you. Isabelle you may as well hear this too."  
I turned round and she was still sat on Elmont's knee and she looked as happy as the day she married him.  
She stood and walked a few steps before turning abruptly. She was near enough glowing!

"Isla, enough with the games, tell us."  
Elmont burst out. She smiled at him brilliantly.

"Patience my dearest."  
She giggled. She took a breath and linked her hands over her chest.

"I…"  
She almost whispered. Elmont and I nodded and urged her to carry on.

"I'm pregnant."  
She whispered, looked down at her stomach and moved her hands down so they were linked over her stomach. She looked back up at us, her face was a vision of pure joy. My hands flew to my mouth and I almost screamed in joy and ran over to her. She welcomed my hug and her arms tightly encircled my waist.

"I'm so happy for you."  
I whispered to her she kissed my cheek.

"Well aren't you going to say something John?"  
Isla giggled I pulled away from my sister to look at him. He was still sat at the table, his expression was dumbstruck and he was just watching us with his mouth hanging open.

"John?"  
Isla gasped, her voice was sounding less happy now, she was almost concerned.

"Can you repeat what you just said?"  
He croaked hoarsely.  
Isla smiled and let go of me to walk over to him. She pulled him upright and wrapped his arms around her waist, she wrapped hers around his head and pulled him close.

"I'm pregnant. With child, your child, our child. Are there any more ways you would like me to say it?"  
She whispered, her joy was obvious in her voice. He managed a flicker of a smile.

"And again? I'm having trouble taking this in."  
He murmured. She smiled and whispered that she was pregnant again and his mouth came crashing down onto hers. She squeaked in delight and he whirled her round. I slipped out to find father.

By the time I came back they were still in the same embrace but kissing only briefly now and filling each pause with an 'I love you'. Father looked at me questioningly and I cleared my throat. The couple in the room jumped and looked to us, a little embarrassed at getting caught.

"Well what is this information you insisted couldn't wait until after my meeting with my advisors?"  
He asked, urgently. Isla looked up at Elmont, both of them smiled widely and Isla broke free of his arms.

"I'm going to have a baby Father."  
She said, quietly but filled with joy. Father's face relaxed into pure shock and then he grinned brilliantly.

"That, my dear Isla, is the most wonderful news I have heard all day!"  
He cried and opened his arms to her. She flew into them and flung her arms around his neck. Elmont just watched them for a while, his face showed his jubilation clearly, as did everyone else's in the room.

"You will make the most excellent mother and father to a very lucky child."  
Father told Elmont and Isla gently, looking between each of them when he and Isla pulled away.

"I'm so happy father."  
Isla cried, he pulled her to him again and hugged her close.

"As am I my dear, as am I."  
He whispered and kissed her forehead before leaving to go back to his meeting while the three of us left in the room fell to talking about this baby.

It had seemed such a long way off, from when Isla told us she was going to have a baby to her actually having the baby. I was sat outside hers and Elmont's room in their house with Elmont. Every time she cried out he flinched and I was just reminded of when mother died.  
She had been like this for about an hour now and I think at some point I started crying because Elmont pulled me onto his lap and let me cry quietly into his shoulder.

"What are the tears for?"  
He asked when I calmed down. I shook my head and he pulled my head away from his shoulder with a finger under my chin.

"Isabelle. What happened to your mother isn't going to happen to your sister."

"But how do you know? How are you so calm?"  
He gave me a sad smile.

"I'm as worried as you, I'm just better at hiding it. And she's younger than your mother and this is her first child, your sister is anything but weak, she just doesn't deal well with pain."  
He almost chuckled, this made me smile and I lay my head back on his shoulder.

"Aren't you a little too old for this though Isabelle?"  
He asked. I shook my head.

"You're my big brother now John, it's part of your job. Isla doesn't think I'm too old."  
I half giggled and he chuckled lightly.

"That's probably only the second time you've ever called me by my given name, special occasion?"  
I smiled.

"No. I just felt it was needed. But I don't feel right calling you it. I think I'll stick to Elmont."  
He chuckled again.

"Whatever you want little princess."  
He said quietly and we lapsed into silence again.

"Elmont, why do you keep flinching every time she cries out?"  
He sighed.

"Just a reaction I guess. She's in pain and I feel so helpless."  
I nodded and the silence resumed for long time until we heard a high pitched wail coming from inside the room. Both our heads flicked up to the door and a young healer stepped out. She smiled at us and told us both we could go in. I got up off Elmont's lap and pushed him in first. The door stayed open so I could see everything that was happening. Isla was sat up in the bed, beaming down at a little bundle of blankets in her arms. She looked exhausted but beyond happy. The little bundle started gurgling when Elmont sat beside them. He peered into the bundle with a look of pure wonder across his face. A tiny hand shot out of the blankets and Elmont ran his fingertip over the baby's tiny fist which opened and curled around Elmont's larger finger. He grinned and kissed Isla's cheek.

"Our son John."  
She said quietly. He grinned and kissed his son's head before looking back to Isla.

"He's perfect. And you're beautiful."  
She laughed and leaned forward to kiss his lips.

"I'm sure I've looked better John."  
She giggled. He shook his head seriously.

"Not to me. You're quite literally glowing."  
He whispered and leaned in for another kiss.

"Isabelle, stop lurking in the doorway and come in."  
Isla called out, I jumped and made my way round to the other side of the bed. Isla was smiling happily and Elmont was just staring into the bundle of blankets in wonder.

"So what are you going to call him?"  
I asked, sitting down next to Isla. The baby was beautiful. He had Elmont's eyes definitely, just like Isla had wanted.

"I think we had decided on Christian hadn't we?"  
Isla asked. Elmont nodded, still not taking his eyes off his son.

"Christian John Elmont."  
Isla sighed and Elmont looked up sharply.

"We said nothing about using my name as a middle name."  
He stated. Isla smiled and kissed his cheek.

"No, but I decided we should. I like it don't you?"  
She asked, smiling. He shrugged and went back to his study of his son.

"I suppose so darling."  
He muttered. Isla giggled and turned back to me.

"Where's father?"  
She asked quietly, Elmont and I both exchanged glances and Isla became a little concerned.

"Lord Thomas took him for a private word just after we told him. He said he would be here as soon as he could, but it must be taking longer than anticipated."  
She nodded and turned her eyes back to Christian.

"Well he will be here as soon as he can then if he said he would."  
She whispered, almost as if to assure herself.

"Can I hold him love?"  
Elmont piped up suddenly. She smiled at him.

"Of course, hold your arms out, mind his head."  
She instructed him softly. He did as he was told and Christian was placed in his arms. He seemed happy to be close to his father and gurgled quietly.

"Why does he do these things? Every time something good happens Lord Thomas has to ruin it."  
She whispered to me so Elmont couldn't hear.

"He's just got sour grapes and is being petty, don't let it spoil anything. You have a beautiful son now Isla and a husband who won't let anything happen to either of you."  
She smiled at me and ran a finger along my cheek.

"When did my little sister get so clever, and so gorgeous? You look so much like mother."  
She whispered with a sad smile.

"Just think, if she were here I wouldn't have even held Christian yet, she wouldn't want to put him down."  
She chuckled. I couldn't help but join in, mother would have been like that, she would have whisked her grandson off the moment she was allowed to hold him. Isla's gaze grifted over to Elmont who was now cooing nonsense to Christian who seemed to be finding it funny. Isla smiled fondly and lay her head on my shoulder.

"Isla, can I hold my nephew?"  
I whispered. She let out a chuckle like breath.

"If you can manage to get him off his father."  
I chuckled. She did have a point. Elmont was already quite attached to his son and I doubt he was going to let him go willingly anytime soon, but it was worth a shot.

It took me a while to get Elmont to let go of Christian, Isla just laughed through it all and sided with me when he appealed to her for help. But I finally got to hold my nephew, he did look at me for a second and then spend the rest of the time he was in my arms looking over at Elmont and Isla. He did fall asleep while I was holding him though, which was just adorable. His little button nose kept crinkling exactly like Isla's did when she was dreaming, though heaven knows what he was dreaming about.

* * *

**Elmont, 28  
Isla, 27  
Isabelle, 17  
(Running off) Isla POV:**

Never in my life have I been more angry at my sister than when John dragged her home after she had sent them on a wild goose chase all over the city looking for her. She didn't show any remorse though, which was what really angered me. She was currently sat across from me in the kitchen. Christian was just about to turn two and kept running off at home, the last thing John needed was to be doing the same thing as he did with his son but with a seventeen year old girl who should know better. She was refusing to meet my eyes at the moment and her body language just showed defeat. Christian was currently playing with his father in the living room and his giggles kept floating through.

"Isabelle, why do you do it?"  
I finally broke the silence. She shrugged.

"Don't just shrug. There has to be a reason. You don't just run away for hours on end for no reason. I was so worried when you first did it, but this is the fifth time in two weeks, John was confident you would show up when you got hungry since you couldn't have possibly gotten out of the city but I begged him to go and look for you. It took him hours Isabelle. Since you turned sixteen you've been meant to have more freedom and John isn't mean to be following you around everywhere, father trusts you more now that you're older and you're abusing that."  
She sighed and still refused to look at me.

"Isabelle, why do you do it?"  
I asked in a more gentle tone now. She looked at me and her eyes showed absolutely no remorse.

"Because mother said I have the power to make a difference, but how can I make a difference if I'm cooped up in a castle all day and followed around by dozens of soldiers?"  
I sighed and dropped my head into my hands.

"You're protected because father doesn't want to lose you. And when you're queen you will be able to make a change, you just have to be patient. Now please, no more running away? If not for John's sake then for mine and father's? please?"  
She looked like she didn't want to agree but she nodded. If only I could believe that nod though.

"Isla, why won't you become queen?"  
She asked after a few awkward seconds.

"I'm not a blood relation to the king of Cloister. I will become it if, god forbid something happens to you or any children you might have, but I'm only a last resort and I like it that way."  
She nodded and stood.

"Wait, we're not finished yet. Tell me your hiding places…"  
I asked. She groaned and sat back down.

"Do I really have to?"  
She moaned. I nodded.

"Yes, you've just agreed not to run off anymore, if I know where you hide most of the time then if you do decide to foolishly run off again then there is already a good idea of where you might be."  
She groaned and started counting off on her fingers the places she had found. They largely consisted of mingling in town, the underground catacombs and various rooms in the castle that weren't used anymore.  
Our discussion ended and I let her go and play with Christian, not long after she left the room John appeared and just gathered me into his arms. It was something I needed, since the conversation with Isabelle wasn't one I particularly wanted to have.

**Sorry about all the description but I love giving Isla a wardrobe! Anyway, reviews would mean a lot...**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry this took a while, but I needed to give my Star wars fics some TLC, and the last chapter was long enough to keep you going. :p**

**Elmont POV:**

The moment I think both Isla and myself were absolutely dreading came a week later, coincidentally Isla's birthday, which we had just spent quietly and as a family- we had agreed to have a proper celebration with Jack, Isabelle and her father after Rosalie was born, so no mention of it being her birthday was to be mentioned today, I had already been reprimanded by Christian when I wished her 'happy birthday' at breakfast. Her father wanted to know what had happened with Lord Roderick so naturally he had come over.

Isla wasn't meant to be up and about and he knew this, so when he burst in through the door he was almost angry that she wasn't in bed resting. He calmed down though when she assured him she hadn't walked from the bedroom to the living room, I had carried her and a blanket from upstairs so she definitely wouldn't get cold.  
He had walked in when we were having a quiet family moment in the living room, Christian was reading, or at least attempting to read, he kept asking what every other word was and meant but since he was sat in front of the fire and we were curled up on the sofa, he kept having to spell the words out. It was quite funny watching him try to figure out what the letters were. Isla was leaning on the couch arm and her legs were over mine, I was leaning on the arm too so she was also able to lean slightly on me, making it so much easier for me to wrap her in my arms, it wasn't exactly the most comfortable of positions I had ever been in, but Isla was warm and comfortable and that was all that mattered. King Brahmwell had interrupted this moment when he had made such a noise in the hall, we had heard him making for the upstairs, obviously going to see if we were in the bedroom. Isla giggled and shouted to him where we were and he burst in, startling Christian who jumped violently when the door banged open, but when he saw who it was he grinned and put his book down to go and jump on his grandpa. The king greeted him warmly then turned his accusing eye on us.  
After he was satisfied that his daughter was in no danger he settled in the armchair across from us. Isabelle and Jack had come too and Jack took Christian with him and they went up to his room. Isabelle sat on the chair arm and both of them looked at Isla expectantly.  
She held my hand tightly under the blanket that was thrown on top of us and at every point I knew the tale got particularly tough I squeezed her hand and ran my thumb over her knuckles. She managed to tell it without a single tear although her voice threatened to crack at some points.  
There was complete silence when she finished. Her father just looked at us in complete shock whereas Isabelle ran out of the room, quite upset. Isla made to go after her but I held her down and got up to go for Jack to go after her. She was only sat outside on the wall at the end of the garden. Christian was put to bed while I was upstairs with him and I returned to the living room minutes later.  
The king was having trouble taking in what had happened and kept repeating the tale quietly. Isabelle came rushing back in at some point after a few moments of tension. She rushed straight over to Isla and threw her arms around her. I didn't hear exactly what she said but it sounded like;

"How could you? No, how could he? Tell me it isn't true…"  
Isla just shook her head and clung to her sister tighter. They pulled away after almost an age and after making me feel thoroughly uncomfortable since I had resumed my former position on the couch. Isla curled into me while her father worked a response to the tale out in his head. He finally voiced his thoughts uncertainly;

"You promised me nothing would happen to her Elmont…"  
Isla tensed next to me.

"Father you can't blame him. I worked hard so he never found out."  
He looked slightly less mad after her outburst.

"But how could he, one of my most trusted advisors, did all this to one of my daughters, I refuse to believe this Isla."  
She hadn't relaxed yet and every muscle I could feel against me was uncomfortably tight.

"So are you saying I made all this up father? Are you saying you don't believe your own daughter, who may I add, is pregnant if you hadn't noticed and has been told to stay relaxed and do very little. This is exactly the thing I don't need so please, just think rationally, why would I make this all up, why would I refuse the man I love so much after one of the biggest moments of his life? Does that make sense to you?"  
She was getting herself worked up now and both Isabelle and myself saw it ending badly if she didn't calm down. The king flinched at what she was implying when she mentioned my promotion, but considered this carefully.

"You misunderstood what I meant my dear, I refuse to believe it because I trusted him and I love you. But I have to believe it, so many things in that story make sense, like how Christian bruised his face and you have one on shoulder. I know Elmont would never harm you but I'm just having trouble taking all of this in. This happened for years and most of it right under my nose. I always wondered why you were so for Isabelle to marry Roderick when she was so against it and Elmont was so against it but now everything is so much clearer. I'm sorry."  
Isla finally relaxed and I breathed a sigh of relief, as did Isabelle. We all looked at the king, waiting for him to say something else as he usually did.

"Now the case of Lord Thomas needs to be reviewed if what you tell me is correct then he is certainly guilty of many offences, and by the sounds of it there are others in Cloister Roderick had at his beck and call. This is a worrisome thought."  
He stated pensively. We all nodded and he stood to leave. He nodded to me and his daughters, we all gave him some kind of farewell, ranging from a nod to a wide smile before he left the room and quietly went up the stairs to say goodnight to his already sleeping grandson. Isabelle and Jack were still in the room though and they sat together where Christian had been before. Jack picked up the book and laughed when he saw the cover.

"Is this your doing Elmont?"  
He asked, I grinned when he held up 'the Giants of Gantua'.

"Christian wanted to know what his father did up there so John gave him the book, told him to read it and then he would tell him. He had been working on it for hours when you arrived. It was quite adorable and his reading is really improving."  
Isla almost laughed. Isabelle smiled and took the book off Jack. She lay her head on his shoulder and laced her fingers with his. Jack grinned and one arm encircled her shoulders.

"We have something to tell you as well."  
Isabelle giggled.

"Father has agreed to us being married."  
Jack grinned ridiculously wide and Isabelle looked like she was dreaming.  
Isla made to get up to congratulate them but I held her down again.

"That is wonderful, I would get up to congratulate you both properly but I'm currently being held down."  
The younger couple on the floor chuckled.

"Don't worry, you can congratulate us later. Elmont's right to be holding you down, you shouldn't even be out of bed."  
Isabelle giggled and I kissed Isla's cheek.

"See, your younger sister has sense, only two years too late."  
I chuckled. Isabelle looked at me with mock hurt in her eyes.

"And what's that meant to mean Elmont?"  
She gasped.

"If sense had developed in that fair head of yours two years ago then I wouldn't have had to spend most of my time running around after you now would I?"  
She smiled guiltily.

"Sorry Elmont, but I needed to get away."  
She smiled apologetically.

"You could have just asked me to accompany you on a ride and I would have left you at a discrete distance and come back for you later."  
She contemplated his for a while.

"Now when you put it like that it all seems fairly simple."  
I grinned and Isla yawned. Isabelle looked apologetically at her.

"Oh it's not you, and John don't you even think of hauling me off to bed, I still have questions."  
I rolled my eyes at her stern tone she just smiled and rested her head against mine.

"So when were you thinking of having the wedding?  
She asked happily, Isabelle seemed delighted in the direction the conversation was turning.

"We don't know yet. We're going to wait until the castle and city are fully repaired before anything gets planned, but I know I want to wear mother's dress like you did, but with my tiara."  
Isabelle smiled happily.

"And then Rosalie will have to wear mother's dress when it's her turn."  
Isla giggled. I snapped my head round so I could look at her properly.

"Rosalie is never getting married, in fact Rosalie is never having anything to do with boys full stop! The first boy she brings home will be chased away with my crossbow."  
The whole of the room erupted in laughter, I didn't see what was so funny.

"John she's not even born yet and you're already forbidding her from falling in love."  
Isla giggled.

"I see nothing funny about our daughter's future."  
Isla just shook with more laughter.

"Neither do I, but you have to stop this now. Before she's old enough to answer back to you and rebel against you trying to control her life."  
She managed to choke out between laughter spurts.

"How do you even know it will be a girl?"  
Jack piped up. Isabelle rolled her eyes.

"Has Christian not given you this lecture yet?"  
Jack shook his head at her.

"He's adamant that the baby will be a girl and Rosalie is the favourite name."  
Jack nodded and looked back over to us, we were still happily cuddling, but Isabelle indicated Isla to me. I looked at her slowly, my expression softened into a fond grin, she was falling asleep against my shoulder. So much for not being tired.

"We've kept her up too long, we should go. Elmont I'll let you know as soon as I see you tomorrow what father decides."  
Isabelle said quietly and her and Jack turned to leave. I smiled after them and looked back to Isla.

"Now are you willing to be taken to bed?"  
I asked jokingly. She nodded and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. I stood and made our way upstairs, there was still a fire burning in the grate but it needed making up slightly, so Isla was placed in the bed where she immediately snuggled into the sheets, looking absolutely gorgeous surrounded by the crimson bedding. I joined her a few minutes later in my sleep pants and she lay her head on my shoulder with one arm draped across my waist.

"I'm so happy Jack and Isabelle are going to be happy. To think it almost didn't happen…"  
I shushed her immediately.

"You can't think like that love. Now sleep, or if you don't want to, tell me what you want your dress for their wedding to look like."  
I felt her smile against my skin and she pressed a gentle kiss to my shoulder.

"I don't quite know yet, but it's likely I won't have lost all the weight from Rosalie so it remains to be seen but I want your input so you're coming with me to get it."  
I groaned and she slapped my chest lightly.

"Now, sleep. We're both tired and you need your rest."  
I smiled down at her. She raised her head from where it was resting against my shoulder. We both smiled slowly at the same time and I leaned forward to rub my nose against hers.

"I love you Isla. You have no idea how much."  
I whispered, our noses were still touching and I could feel her smile. She rested her forehead against mine.

"I think I do John, I don't think I could be happier than I am right now, I love you so much."  
I smiled and leaned my mouth closer to hers but she pulled away slightly.

"Do you ever think your life's just a dream?"  
She whispered. I considered this for a second before answering.

"It does cross my mind at times, mostly when I'm just lying here with you. In my head there's no way one of the king's daughters would ever have agreed to marry me, and it doesn't seem true that we have such a wonderful son and are going to have such an equally wonderful daughter in a matter of weeks. It all just seems too good to be true."  
I admitted. Isla hummed in response.

"I do too. Except in my mind it seems impossible I could be married to someone I love so much and have such a perfect family. I just feel like I'm going to wake up at any second."  
She smiled and let me kiss her when I leaned forward this time. The kiss was short and sweet, little more than a simple soft press of my lips to hers, but there was such emotion behind it thanks to what we had just been discussing, that it made my heart start beating ten times as fast and my breath catch in my throat. We broke away and her head returned to it's place on my shoulder. We lay in contented silence until I heard Isla's light even breathing. I smiled and pressed a kiss into her hair before falling into blissful unconsciousness with her.

**So, how was it? Please review….**


	7. Chapter 7

**N****ot many chapters left to go now though, Isabelle's wedding and then another I think, thank you for all your reviews so far, they're really great to read!**

**Anyhow, Enjoy:**

**Elmont POV:**

Two months since Isla told Isabelle and her father everything, two months! In that time so much had happened, Lord Thomas had been incarcerated in a part of the castle that was undamaged, many of Roderick's other 'henchmen' had also been found, charged and locked up like Thomas. Isla's health had improved vastly since she confessed everything and every time I came home with good news her face lit up and the worry draining from her was almost visible. It was a huge relief to see her getting stronger every day like this and she was getting more and more excited about the baby with each day and this wore off on Christian, who had taken to staying with Isla all day now that she definitely wasn't allowed to leave our room.  
The woman who made our food, kept the house for us, and also doubled as a maid for Isla stayed with her as well, just in case anything happened. Isla didn't mind, that woman was such a nice lady that it was impossible to not like her, she respected that we liked to be independent so she was only really around in the mornings and afternoons, helping Isla to dress in the morning and taking care of breakfast since I only ever grabbed something before running out of the house and Isla tended to not even eat it if it wasn't easily accessible.  
She hadn't been around for the few days after the beanstalk fell though since she had family in town, they owned the bakery, and she was helping them get back on track with everything.

I had somehow been roped into helping with the resurrection of the new drawbridge. It had to be hauled upright in order to be properly attached, so much like when the giants had invaded it was being hauled up by many lines of men on ropes. Despite it being a fairly cold day, there was still a little sunshine and most of the men around me, including myself had stripped themselves of shirts. The drawbridge had been secured and we were taking a break for food when a young girl ran up to me, babbling something about Isla. I didn't hear most of it because as soon as she mentioned the words; healer and time I set off sprinting towards my home.

As soon as I burst in through the door Christian jumped at me. He looked terrified. Jack and King Brahmwell were there as well, Jack looked very uncomfortable and the king was in a state of worry. He questioned my lack of shirt but I was too out of breath to reply with much coherency, I did finally manage to gasp out 'drawbridge' and he seemed to understand.

"Father what's happening?"  
Christian whispered to me. I went through to the living room and flopped down into the armchair with him on my lap, I was still slightly out of breath and gasping from a stitch in my side.

"I don't know son. You might want to ask your grandpa that."  
I gasped. He nodded and turned to the king who had come in and sat on the couch with Jack.

"Your new brother or sister decided they were going to put in an appearance today Christian, now why don't you come over here and let your father catch his breath?"  
He suggested, Christian shook his head and clung to me, my arms tightened around him too. The king chuckled and leant back into the couch.

"Why are you all sticky father?"  
Christian piped up after a few minutes. I chuckled breathlessly.

"I've been helping with the drawbridge and I ran from there to here just now so I'm a little sweaty and in need of a bath."  
I chuckled slightly again and he nodded. We sat in silence for a while until a cry from upstairs floated through the house. I think every person in the room flinched and a tense silence followed while nobody spoke and the crackling of the fire was the only sound.

I have no idea how long we sat in that infernal silence, but quite a few more cries floated down to us in that time. The king started glaring accusingly at me after a while, Christian saw this and questioned his grandpa's hostility, gaining a slight chuckle from us all and a promise that I would explain it to him when he was older.  
After another few cries he slammed his fists into the chair arm earning him curious looks from all of us in the room.

"I don't like this, mother sounds like she's hurting and it makes me feel sad."  
He sulked. I hugged him tighter.

"You and me both my lad. But there's nothing we can do except wait."  
He sulked and leant his head against my shoulder.

"Why does mother sound like she's in pain though?"  
I cringed.

"I'll explain that to you when you're older too."  
He shook his head and pulled away to look at me.

"Want to know now!"  
He pouted and stuck his bottom lip out, I smiled at the crinkle that appeared on his forehead.

"I will tell you when you're older, you're too young to understand everything right now Christian. But trust me, you don't really want to know anyway."  
I assured him and poked his lip which he pulled back and the pout disappeared.  
The tense silence resumed again and no body spoke.  
This was until a high pitched wail floated through the house.  
All attentions in the living room, except Christian's perked and the sound of running footsteps sounded on the stairs. Isabelle's joyful face appeared in the doorway, the smile on her face was enough for me and I shot out of my seat, still clutching Christian, and tore through the house up to the bedroom.

Isla was sat up in the bed, gazing lovingly into a bundle of blankets in her arms. She looked up when I put Christian on the bed and he crawled over to her and kissed her cheek, both of them looked at the baby, Christian was intrigued by the tiny human in Isla's arms and Isla was more intrigued by his reaction.  
She looked up at me and raised an eyebrow.

"Where's your shirt John?"  
I smiled and sat on the edge of the bed, leaning on the post.

"Somewhere in town. I got hot while helping with the drawbridge, would you prefer I was wearing one?"  
She smiled.

"Yes actually. You don't want Rosalie's first view of you to be without your shirt on."  
She giggled and my mouth fell open.

"Rosalie? We actually have a daughter?"  
I gasped. She smiled and nodded.

"We do. A beautiful baby girl with your eyes. Now you can hold her if you want, when you're fully dressed."  
She laughed gently. I stood and went over to the cupboard where we kept our clothes and pulled out a baggy white one. Christian didn't notice me slide in next to him and Isla handed me Rosalie. Christian wrapped his arms around Isla's chest and leaned his head against her, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"So what do you think of your little sister Christian?"  
She asked quietly.

"I think she's very little, but she looks funny."  
Isla and I both laughed quietly but I had yet to take my eyes off my daughter. She was just beautiful, with bright blue eyes and the start of a jet black head of hair just like her mother's. My little girl gazed up at me with her mouth slightly open, as if in wonder at these new people she was seeing. I don't think the smile had left my face since I entered the room earlier, but this tiny girl did just provoke smiles.

"Well she will. You looked a little funny when you weren't even an hour old yet. But other than that do you have any other thoughts?"  
Christian thought for a while.

"I think she's really pretty, even if she does look funny. And I think you look very pretty too mother."  
Isla chuckled and I think she kissed the top of his head.

"Thank you dear, now do you want to hold her?"  
I tore my eyes away from Rosalie and looked up at him, studying his reaction. It was hesitant, but he nodded slowly.  
I leaned over and arranged Rosalie so she was lying across his lap. One of Christian's arms was placed under her head by Isla and the other stroked the tiny face peeking out of the blankets.

Christian's awed expression never faltered one bit and his finger stroked her cheek, making her eyes snap over to him from where they had been focused on me. Christian giggled and Rosalie looked as if she was attempting a giggle but it just came out as a gurgle. She wriggled and her hand found its way out of the blankets and Christian stroked it with his finger, making her open it and grip his finger like he had done to me years ago. Isla yawned lightly and my attention snapped over to her.

"How do you feel?"  
I asked quietly. She smiled.

"Tired and sore, but less so than I was from Christian."  
I smiled. She did look exhausted, but still absolutely radiant.

"Well you can sleep if you want after your father and Isabelle have been in, they're all here if you want me to shout them."  
She shook her head.

"No, you can in a bit but I just want to stay like this for a while."  
She sighed and I reached over to her, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face.

"You're an absolute angel Isla."  
She smiled and leaned into my touch, opening her mouth to respond.

"Don't even think about saying what I think you're going to say."  
I smiled at her and a finger slipped over her lips. She smiled against it and kissed the tip.

"Can you come round here please?"  
She asked, around my finger. I smiled and moved around the bed so I was on her other side, she immediately wrapped her arms around my waist and mine went around her shoulders.

"She's beautiful Isla. Absolutely perfect."  
I whispered while we watched our son playing with our daughter. He seemed to be enjoying himself, just cooing nonsense to her and pulling faces. Rosalie looked like she was enjoying her older brother's antics too. She had let go of his finger now and her arms kept flailing up to him and her feet kept kicking against the blanket.  
Isla sighed and leaned her head against my shoulder.

"They both are. Should we let Father and Isabelle in now?"  
I smiled and tightened my arms around her.

"I just want you to myself right now. Some time with just us four."  
She chuckled and leaned further into me.

"They're going to think something went wrong if we leave it any longer you do know…"  
I sighed overdramatically but was then struck with an idea.

"Christian, why don't you go and tell your grandpa and Auntie Belle all about Rosalie and that they can come and see her if they want?"  
Christian looked torn between staying with us and playing with Rosalie and going to tell the rest all about her. He eventually asked if I could take her of him.  
I did so and placed her back in Isla's arms while Christian jumped off the bed and ran out of the room.

"She's absolutely gorgeous."  
I whispered , wrapping my arms around Isla again so I was now holding both by daughter and wife close. Rosalie's bright blue eyes looked up to me and Isla and she yawned.

"They had better be quiet when they come up, I think she's going to want to go to sleep soon."  
Isla whispered. I reached round and pulled the ribbon out of her hair. It tumbled forward over her shoulders and down her back in a silky shiny raven wave. I buried my head against her neck in her glorious curls.

"John, why did you do that?"  
She groaned. I chuckled and nuzzled her neck through her hair.

"You know I like it like this."  
I chuckled and felt Isla's torso hitch in a single chuckle like breath.  
We just gazed at Rosalie who had now fallen asleep against Isla's chest, until we heard noises outside the room and the door opened slowly. Isabelle's head peeked round and Christian's followed slowly. Isla nodded for them to come in but to be quiet. Isabelle sat on the edge of the bed and the king stood behind her. Jack had obviously stayed downstairs, he was probably unsure of what to do and had only come because Isabelle had dragged him. We just spent a while gazing at the tiny girl in Isla's arms, Christian had climbed back up onto the bed and I had wrapped an arm around him so I was now holding my entire family, until the king asked to hold his granddaughter. He came round the bed so he could pick her up and Isla relaxed into my arms. She was exhausted and it showed, she just cuddled into my chest and shut her eyes. Isabelle looked at her, concerned but I just smiled reassuringly at her.

"She's tired Isabelle, that's all."  
I told her gently, she nodded and Christian leant his head against Isla's side, her arm closest to him wrapped around him and he just happily drew patterns on the covers over her thigh.

Rosalie was passed around the room, Isabelle spent the longest holding her, silently adoring her tiny niece. Isla had long since fallen asleep, and Christian was on his way to falling asleep but I didn't have the heart to wake either one of them unless it was absolutely necessary. King Brahmwell had left about an hour after he had held Rosalie, but Isabelle stayed until it got dark. Jack had come up after the king had left, he didn't hold Rosalie, but he did comment on her, saying she was beautiful and asking me to pass on his congratulations to Isla when she woke up.

* * *

It was now past dark, Isabelle had put Rosalie into her crib and left a while ago, with a kiss to Isla's and Christian's cheeks and the promise she would be back in the morning. I was still holding my sleeping family, I still hadn't woken them, but they just looked so peaceful and Rosalie would wake them when it was absolutely necessary I guess.  
It was times like this which I treasured, even if I was alone in my consciousness, but watching Isla and Christian sleep, they both looked so alike when dreaming, it was quite funny, but both of them looked so calm, and as if a feather could shatter them. A quiet whimper from Rosalie's crib brought me out of my observations of my wife and son and I lay Isla down gently on the bed, Christian snuggled into her so both their heads were resting on the same pillow facing each other. Rosalie was just starting to gear up into a proper crying fit when I gently lifted her out of her crib. She quietened slightly after I comforted her for a few minutes and just stared up at me. I smiled down at her for a while until I heard Christian stir in his sleep. I smiled at him and Isla who were still asleep on the bed.

"Shall we go and join your brother and mother?"  
I whispered, she wriggled against my chest and I smiled. Neither Isla nor Christian stirred when I sat down on the other side of the bed with Rosalie and turned her to face them. She leant back against my chest and I leaned down to whisper in her tiny ear.

"That's your older brother, Christian."  
I smiled when Isla's mouth quirked up into a slight smile and she sighed in her sleep.

"And that's your mother. You're going to be just as beautiful as her when you're older."  
I kissed the top of her head lightly and cuddled her to my chest, just telling her random things about life, she was much too young to understand anything but watched me talking all the same.

I stopped talking to my tiny daughter when I felt a pair of eyes on me and turned my gaze from her innocent face to where I felt the eyes coming from.  
Isla was laid on her side with an arm clutching Christian who was still sleeping. She was smiling happily and there were unshed tears shimmering in her eyes.

"How long have you been awake?"  
I whispered, unable to keep the smile off my face.

"Since you got up to see to her."  
Isla whispered back. Christian stirred against her and snuggled deeper into the covers.

"Why didn't you say anything?"  
I asked and lay down next to our son, placing Rosalie on the pillow next to my head.

"I was enjoying the moment, but you forgot one very important person…"  
I raised an eyebrow and looked at Rosalie who was squirming on the pillow, apparently not happy at being put down. She started crying again and Isla sat up and cradled her close. She looked at me and opened her mouth but I was already waking Christian up.

He was reluctant to come out of his sleepy state but eventually glared up at me through sleepy eyes.

"I'm hungry and so is Rosalie, so you're coming downstairs with me to get food."  
He shook his head and tried to curl back up under the covers.

"Christian, come on. I need your help."  
He glared at me and I just burst out laughing.

"Don't want to."  
I smiled and pulled him out of the bed.

"You're five now Christian, and you need to set a good example for Rosalie. Now come and help me get something to eat."  
He groaned but wriggled around so he was clutching my neck and resting his head on my shoulder. Isla smiled at us as we left the room and settled back into the pillows.

"Father, why did mother not bring Rosie with us, I thought you said she was hungry?"  
Christian asked, I smiled at his innocence.

"It seems there's a lot I have to tell you when you're older son."  
He nodded and sighed against my shoulder.

"Did you have a nice sleep earlier though?"  
I chuckled and put him down on the kitchen table.

"I did. But then you woke me up which wasn't very nice."  
I smiled and ruffled his hair.

"You needed to wake up and I wanted someone to talk to while I was down here."  
He smiled sleepily up at me and yawned.

Isla was gazing lovingly at a sleeping Rosalie when we went back into the bedroom. She looked up at us when we slipped quietly into the room.

"John she's absolutely gorgeous."  
She whispered. I smiled and sat on the bed, placing the tray I had brought up next to me and pulling Christian up as well.

"Just like her mother."  
I grinned back and Isla turned to Christian who was sat next to me fiddling with the covers.

"And of course I'm not forgetting my handsome little man."  
She smiled at him and he grinned back.

"Can you put her back in her crib?"  
Isla whispered, holding our tiny daughter out to me. I grinned and took her over to her crib. When I sat back down on the bed Christian had curled up into Isla's side like before and was nibbling on an apple.

"Was I ever that little?"  
He asked quietly. I smiled and ruffled his hair before reaching for some food myself.

"Never, you were bigger than Rosalie, but you weren't early like she was and you're a boy."  
Isla smiled down at him. He nodded and went back to his apple.

"How are you so tired Christian?"  
I asked, it seemed very out of character for him to be so out of energy. He hadn't seemed quite right since this morning actually.  
He shrugged and lay his head on Isla's chest. She stroked his fringe out of his eyes but jumped and looked sharply up at me.

"He's burning up John."  
She stated, probably forgetting about Rosalie sleeping only a few yards away since she was a bit louder than she probably should have been. I reached over and touched his forehead with my fingertips. He WAS burning up, and flushed too, I hadn't noticed this before because I had just put it down to him being curled under a thick blanket with Isla in a quite warm room to begin with anyway.

"He hasn't shown any signs of catching anything…"  
I whispered. Isla wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Christian, do you feel alright?"  
She whispered. He shrugged and carried on with his apple. Normally he would have finished it by now.

"Answer the question either yes or no."  
I was a little more forceful than Isla. She looked at me like I had been a little too harsh. Christian looked up at me and held his arms out to me. I pulled him away from Isla and sat him on my lap.

"Don't feel well father."  
He mumbled and rubbed his eyes.

"Tell me…"  
I encouraged him softly and tilted his face up.  
Isla watched us closely, worry extremely clear on her face. This was exactly the thing she didn't need right now…

"Is it like when you were ill last winter?"  
He shook his head.

"Feel sick, like I've eaten too much desert."  
He muttered. I nodded and stood, still with him in my arms.

"Where are you taking me?"  
He whimpered and reached for Isla.

"Christian you can't stay in here. You don't want to make Rosalie or your mother sick do you? They're both not very strong at the moment. I'll stay with you until you're asleep alright?"  
He nodded and I looked at Isla, she was chewing her lip and I'm quite sure my expression matched hers.

"What have you eaten today Christian?"  
I asked quietly once we were in his room. It was warm thanks to the living room fire's chimney forming a wall.

"Only something Grandpa brought this morning. He said it was for our dinner but since I had been good all morning and kept mother company I could have some then as a treat."  
I nodded and helped him get changed.

"What was it Christian and how much did you have?"  
I asked once he was dressed in light pyjamas.

"Mother's favourite cake and I only a bit, because then a lot of things started happening and I forgot. And plus, it tasted kind of funny."  
I nodded and tucked him into bed.

"I'm going to go and get you a drink and something in case you're sick later. And if you are, shout me or come and wake me."  
He nodded and I fled down the stairs. The cake Christian had talked about was still sat on the table. Thank god I hadn't picked it up before. I found the plate with Christian's piece on from earlier and took a bite. It did taste funny, worryingly funny so I opened the window to spit it out.

Christian was curled under his covers when I went back upstairs, he was shivering now and scarily pale. I sat on the edge of his bed, he peaked out of the bedding and I smiled sadly down at him. He sat up so I could help him with his drink.

"Drink all of this Christian, and the bucket there is in case you're sick. Are you tired?"  
He nodded but leaned against me.

"Feel too sick to sleep though."  
He muttered. I smiled sadly and ran my fingers through his fluffy black hair.

"Well you're going to have to try lad. I need to go back in to mother in case Rosalie wakes up because I don't want her to be walking around much yet."  
He nodded and giggled faintly.

"You're looking after us all."  
I smiled and rubbed his shoulders.

"It's my job."  
I said quietly.

"Want to be like you when I'm older. You're really brave and not scared of anything and never get sick."  
I chuckled.

"Now that's not entirely true. There were times when I was up in the giant land when I was scared, and there have been times here when I've been scared. Mostly to do with you, your mother and Rosalie."  
He looked up at me curiously.

"Really? Why?"  
I smiled.

"At times when losing any one of you was a possibility."  
He nodded and went back to his drink. When it was finished I put it down at the side of his bed and lay him back into the pillows. He was reluctant to let go of me so I lay down next to him. We lay in silence until I heard him sniffle and felt his frame hitch.

"Don't like feeling sick."  
He whimpered when I looked down at him. I wrapped my arms tighter around him.

"Nobody does Christian. Now shush your tears and try to sleep, you'll feel better for it."  
I whispered. He nodded and the tears stopped after much effort.  
I have no idea how long we lay there for but he eventually fell asleep. I decided it was a good idea to replace the water so I ventured slowly into the kitchen, thinking these most recent developments through in my mind, had all of Roderick's counterparts been caught? Or had one or two been overlooked? It was all very confusing.

Isla was lying on her back staring at the ceiling when I went back into the bedroom, she didn't look at me when I went over to the dresser to change into clothes suitable to sleep in, or when I paused at Rosalie's crib to just watch her for a moment. She only looked when I sank down onto the bed next to her and wriggled under the covers.

"What's going on John?"  
She whispered. I opened my arms to her and she melted into my embrace.

"I don't know, but he's eaten something that didn't agree with him. Your father brought something over this morning and let him have some then, he didn't have much but it's the only thing he's had today besides the apple earlier and a drink of water."

"So do you know what this thing was?"  
She whispered.

"Yes, it's still downstairs and he's right it did taste funny. I'm leaving it for now and going into town to see someone who might be able to figure out what else is in it tomorrow. And Christian will need to see someone too if he's feeling no better. He's got a bucket in case he's sick and he has to come in here and get me if he does."

"So he's asleep then?"

"Yes, it took a while but he's now asleep, he won't be for long but it's at least it's a start."  
She sighed and I tightened my arms around her.

"No love, I don't know why this is happening."  
I sighed to what she was most likely thinking and no doubt going to ask.

"do you think all of Roderick's men were caught?"  
She whispered. I tensed.

"I'm not certain now. But there's always hope that they were and this was just something random that just happened to occur."  
She managed a sarcastic chuckle.

"A very slim hope John."  
I hummed in agreement.

"But still a hope. And that's what I'm currently hanging onto. Now it would be a good idea for us to get some sleep, you need it and I just want to wake up and find everything back to as it was about five hours ago."  
Isla hummed in agreement and her breathing soon grew even and deep, a tell-tale sign she had fallen asleep. It took me longer to fall into my subconscious, the evening's events were plaguing my mind too much for me to fall asleep peacefully. Who could we possibly have missed that could do this…

**So, Rosalie wasn't to be harmed, but nothing was said about Christian…  
This needed some tragedy, it was too mushy otherwise, anyhow, Please review…**


	8. Chapter 8

**Enjoy:**

**Christian POV:**

"Father, Father wake up."  
He didn't wake up and I didn't like this. He told me to wake him up if I was sick, but he wasn't waking up. He just groaned and hugged mother tighter.

"Father!"  
I wined and shook his shoulder. This woke mother up not him, she smiled sleepily at me and shook father.

"John, get up."  
She muttered and rolled over. Father opened his eyes and sat up slightly. He shook his head and looked at mother.

"Isla, what?"  
Mother pointed over to me without rolling over after he moaned at her. Father looked at me and smiled down at me.

"I thought you might wake up, what's wrong lad?"  
He sat up and pulled me onto his lap.

"Were you sick? You don't look much better."  
He brushed my fringe out of my eyes and I nodded.

"Are you feeling any better?"  
I shook my head and wriggled closer to him. Father wrapped his arms around my shoulders and I let a few tears slip down my cheeks. Father never cried and I was meant to be growing up so I tried not to cry, it was really hard because I did feel so ill!

"John, take him back into his room, he needs quiet and Rosalie isn't too fond of quiet."  
Mother muttered. Father tried to put me down on the floor but I didn't want to get off his lap so he chuckled slightly and picked me up.

We got back to my room and he put me back down on the bed. I lay back, but I felt so sick and ended up throwing up again only a few minutes later. Father comforted me and hugged me close.

"Christian, I'm going to take you back in to your mother."  
Something in his voice made me worried but I nodded.  
We went back into their room and father shook mother awake gently. She looked confused at why we were back but opened her arms for me anyway. It actually took father some time to get me to let go of him, I didn't want to make mother ill and father was very comfy.

"I'm going into town. I'm not waiting until morning for a proper verdict."  
Mother just looked more confused.

"I'll tell you when I get back, I don't want to scare him."  
He smiled kindly down at me and ruffled my hair before sprinting out of the room.

"What's happening mother?"  
I whimpered. She shushed me and stroked my hair soothingly.

"Your father's gone to get a doctor for you, he's very worried. Do you feel any better though?"  
I shook my head and tried to curl closer into her.

"Feel worse mother."  
She sighed and pulled me closer still.

"You feel hotter than before and you look paler. You've started shivering too which isn't a good sign."  
She sounded as worried as father.

"Sorry mother…"  
I whispered she pulled away from me and I looked up at her face, she looked a bit shocked.

"Whatever for sweetheart?"  
She asked and brushed some hair out of my face.

"Father said you're not meant to be stressed and I'm ill."  
She smiled and pulled me back into her.

"Christian, you're my little man, you don't need to be sorry. As long as you're alright, that's the main thing."  
I nodded and she leant back further into the pillows behind her.

"Mother, why am I sick? I was fine earlier."  
I looked up at her face, her eyes were closed but she smiled sadly.

"Your father and I think we know, but we don't want to scare you in case we're just overacting. The doctor will tell us more and make you all better."  
She turned her head to me and opened her eyes. They were so unlike father's. His were bright and exactly like mine, I didn't like my eyes much, they looked odd in the sunlight and I could never decide if they were blue or grey, just like father's. But mother's eyes were much more decided, she always looked like she was deep in thought about something and they were always warm and smiley and you didn't have to think hard about what colour they were.

"You'll soon be all better and back to normal."  
She smiled at me and slipped her hand around my cheek.

"Why is father never sick?"  
She chuckled.

"He is, he just refuses to be a normal human being and let himself be taken care of, unless he can physically not walk or do something for himself."  
I frowned.

"I don't see how that's funny…"  
She smiled and sat up. Pulling me with her so I was curled against her chest.

"He doesn't like being ill. I remember once, he had been out in the rain for days on end when he was fighting somewhere. When he came back in the middle of the night he just curled up under the covers without saying anything to me, he didn't even wake up at sunrise the morning after."  
I chuckled, or at least tried to. Father was always up really early.

"When he did wake up, he couldn't stop shivering and kept sneezing and coughing. He did try to get out of bed to go into town to work but I literally had to hold him down on the bed so he couldn't get up. I think I caught him trying to sneak out three times that day. He eventually did agree to stay in bed but it was nearly dark and he could barely keep his eyes open."  
She laughed. I smiled. It did seem like father to not want to admit he was sick.

"But you're better than him when you're sick. Your father is just like a very annoying bug that won't be quiet, you're just very quiet but, though both of you are lot more cuddly than normal which I don't object to if I'm honest."  
I smiled and hugged her tighter.

"You give the best hugs though mother, well father maybe but you're softer than he is so you're comfier."

"Thank you, I think."  
She muttered.

"Is Rosalie sleeping?"  
I asked, mother sighed.

"Yes she is, but I don't think she'll be staying asleep for much longer. If you listen carefully you can hear her dreaming."  
I looked up at her and she nodded and put a finger up to her lips. We went silent and listened to Rosalie, we could hear her breathing and making noises in her sleep.

"What's she dreaming about?"  
I whispered, but then curled up because my tummy started to hurt a lot. Mother just hugged me tight and whispered soothing things to me.

"I don't know, but they must be happy dreams."  
She whispered once I was back to normal.  
I was about to answer but the sound of footsteps on the stairs stopped me and father's voice and another one drifted through the door. They were trying to be quiet but it wasn't working very well.

Father smiled at me when he came into the room and an older man followed him. He had white hair and a beard, not like father's, this man's was white and went halfway down his chest. The man looked like he was in his pyjamas too. He smiled at me reassuringly and father sat down on the bed.

"Christian, this is Doctor Marlowe, he's going to make you all better again. Do you want to go back to your room or stay here with your mother?"  
I thought for a minute before reaching out to father. Mother let me go and father pulled me towards him.

"Sir Elmont, I actually want to see what his walking is like after what you described to me."  
The doctor said quietly. Father nodded and put me down. I tried to walk a few steps but almost fell flat on my face. Father reached out and caught me though and pulled me back up onto the bed. Doctor Marlowe looked thoughtful and nodded.

"Alright. Shall we go?"  
Father nodded to him and we left the room again. Mother watched us go and father blew her a kiss at the door.

"Father, what's going on? Why couldn't I walk?"  
I whispered. Father smiled sadly at me.

"You're weak is all. It's being ill, you don't have much strength because your body is trying to make you better again."  
He muttered back and I nodded. He didn't object to me resting my head on his shoulder. When we got back into my room he put me down on the bed and stood up I was worried he was going to leave but he just turned at the door and leant on the frame, watching everything. I really wanted to know what he was thinking but I couldn't tell, his face was like one of the statues that are in grandpa's castle.

Doctor Marlowe knelt down next to me and smiled.

"So young man, what's been going on then?"  
I thought the answer to this was quite obvious but I told him anyway. He nodded at everything I said and looked me over. Father just stood by the door, his face still didn't show anything, I didn't like this, it was too much like when he was training and it scared me.

"Sir Elmont, may I speak to you?"  
The doctor asked quietly when he stood after looking at me for a while. Father nodded and they left the room. I was just left alone and I didn't like it. It was too quiet and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't hear what father and the doctor talking outside the door.

I have no idea how long I just sat in my room all alone, but mother came in before father did which surprised me since I didn't think she was meant to be up and about but she rushed over to me and wrapped her arms around me.

"Mother, what's going on? Where's father?"  
She pulled back to look at me seriously.

"He needed time to himself for a little bit so he went to walk the doctor home. I'm going to wait until he gets back to tell you what's going on."  
I nodded but something in her voice scared me. She urged me to try and drink something from the water father had left in here a while ago, I drank it but it came back up only a few minutes later. Mother looked close to tears and just cuddled me close.

"Come back into our room Christian, we don't want you to be alone tonight and I doubt you want to be alone."  
I nodded and mother picked me up to carry me into hers and father's room.

* * *

**Isla POV:**

I don't think I've ever been so glad to see morning light peeking through the curtains. It illuminated my two sleeping boys who were curled up together next to me under the covers. Christian still looked scarily pale but flushed at the same time and he was still shivering slightly, but he had slept and kept water down after John had returned with something from the doctor.

When he had stumbled back in last night, I don't think I've ever been so worried about him. Around his eyes was pink tinged, like he had been crying. His body language was just the most dejected thing I've seen from him ever, he staggered up to the bedroom and almost immediately collapsed on the bed, pulling Christian to him, who was by then asleep. He held him close for a while and then looked up at me. My expression probably matched his in the sense I was so worried, but he was almost distraught. He pulled me in for a hug so the both of us were wrapped around our son. Neither of us really wanted to believe this was happening I think, our little boy couldn't have ingested poison, especially not in something my father had brought over. But we had both been thinking that since we had discovered how ill he was earlier.  
But it had happened and he was now quite ill. One thing was for sure though, John was not leaving the house while Christian was still this bad, no matter how much father requested him, he wouldn't want to leave Christian like this anyway, he had already been quite against leaving me at home alone with Rosalie before she was a week old anyway.

The sun picked up on John's hair and made some of the strands shine bright red and touched on Christian's face in just the right way to make him look like he had the day before, like nothing was wrong and he was just an innocent little boy curled up with his father, both of them sound asleep.

I wasn't surprised they were both tired, Christian had kept waking up in the night and John had woken up for him each time and stayed awake until Christian had drifted off to sleep again. I had only woken once when Rosalie had woken me up. John had been sat up with Christian telling him a story, he had told him what was wrong the first time he woke and Christian had taken it quite badly and had gotten extremely worried. It had apparently taken John quite a while to calm him down and it hadn't done much good to his state of health either, John had spared me the details but it hadn't been nice apparently.

Rosalie started fussing in her crib and I sighed and got up. She was squirming in her crib and carried on when I picked her up, she was gearing up for a proper crying fit and showing no sign of letting up. I sighed and looked over to the bed. John and Christian were still sleeping, John must be tired if he hadn't woken up at first light but I doubted he was going to leave his son's side all day really.

I looked down at my distressed daughter and left the room. Nell, the woman who kept the house for us was downstairs baking. The cake father had brought was still on the kitchen table. She looked up from the counter when she heard Rosalie's crying and smiled at me kindly. I returned her smile and flopped down in a chair.

"I take it young Miss Elmont isn't content with her current situation…"  
She almost chuckled. I sighed.

"No, she's not. I'm not quite sure what she wants though Nell, or whether she knows what's going on upstairs and is just distressed."  
Nell sat down across from me and gestured for Rosalie politely. I handed her over and Nell who tried to shush her. She just screamed louder.

"Knows what? And do you not think she might be hungry my lady?"  
I shrugged and Rosalie was handed back to me. It appeared she was hungry.

"She's so different than Christian Nell. With him it was obvious what he wanted but she's so vague."  
I whispered, watching my daughter fondly. Nell smiled at me and got up to go back to her baking.

"Was it the same with your children?"  
I asked. Nell chuckled.

"All eight of them were different. It's just something you have to get used to."  
It never ceased to amaze me that this woman had eight children, all grown up now of course.

"I still don't know how you managed with eight Nell, I struggled with Christian when he was young."  
I chuckled. Nell turned to me and smiled.

"I grew up in a big family my lady, you get used to things like that. And forgive me for saying, but many people in the town are confused as to why you never hired a nurse for Christian or now for Rosalie."  
I sighed and put Rosalie up to my shoulder.

"I can't stand the idea of a nurse. I want to be close to my children and spend time with them, as much time as I possibly can. I know John wants that too, but his responsibilities stop him quite a bit of the time."  
Nell nodded and smiled.

"It's good to know that familial values aren't lost on some of the upper class. It's heart-warming to watch either one of you with your children."  
I smiled at her graciously.

"Now, what is this you were saying before, about something upstairs?"  
I raised an eyebrow at her.

"You mean you don't know? I would have thought it would be all over town by now."  
A dry chuckle escaped my lips and Rosalie started cooing into my ear.

"No, I haven't heard anything regarding your family of late. Except of course the obvious arrival of Miss Rosalie."  
I sighed and composed myself.

"Christian is quite ill. John had to run for the doctor last night and they're both still in bed asleep since I doubt either one of them slept much last night."  
I took Rosalie off my shoulder and hugged her close to my chest. I heard Nell sit down across from me again and looked up to see her watching me intently, concern obvious on her face.

"What is wrong with Christian? And would you like some of this, it is your favourite…"  
She gestured to the cake still on the table and I shook my head, she just looked even more puzzled at me refusal.

"It's that which has caused this problem. Someone working in the castle kitchens slipped something into it and he was the only one to eat any yesterday. The doctor has come to conclusion he has ingested poison, but mercifully only a small amount since he only had a bit of his piece. He's not taken it well but he's at least better than his father when he's sick and won't do anything silly that might risk his recovery."  
I attempted a chuckle but it failed miserably. Nell was watching me and Rosalie sympathetically.

"It seems tragic, my lady, that the day you bring such a beautiful daughter into this world, something like this happens to your son. Do you have any idea who could be the mind behind this offence?"  
I sighed heavily and looked down at Rosalie, she was happily gurgling against my wrist where my hand was cupping her minute head.

"Well there's Lord Thomas, surely you've heard the deeds he has been charged with, and with many others of Lord Roderick's acquaintance, but it's always possible a person was missed. Or Lord Thomas is being spiteful and wanted one last stab at us before he got his comeuppance. Either way, it has happened and there's nothing can be done about it now."  
I sighed. Nell came round the table and slid her arms around my shoulders. I leaned into her motherly embrace, seeking comfort. Normally this would not have been permitted since she worked for my family, but she was such a nice woman that rules often got slightly overlooked where she was concerned.

"Do you want me to make anything special for young Christian if he's not well then?"  
I shook my head and pulled away from her.

"He can barely keep anything down."  
She nodded.

"Bread and jam it is for him then."  
I must have looked confused because she smiled kindly at me.

"It tastes the same coming up as it does going down. Less unpleasant and he does still need to keep up his strength, being a growing lad."  
I smiled and thanked her heartily.

"It's all perfectly fine Mrs Elmont, you go and see to them and set your lovely daughter down to sleep now, she's drifting off as we speak."  
I stood and thanked her again before disappearing up the stairs. John was awake when I went into our room but Christian was still asleep. John was watching him intently like he might just disappear at any time. He only looked up at me once I sat down next to him in the bend of his knees. I still hadn't put Rosalie down, but I didn't particularly want to. He sat up properly and kissed me full on the mouth, it was a kiss full of desperation and just the need to be reassured.

"Do you want me to stay today?"  
He whispered when we parted. I nodded and adjusted our daughter against me.

"I can't stay here alone with Christian in this state and Rosalie so young."  
I whispered, my voice threatened to crack slightly when I looked down at my son. He was still shivering and still looked deathly pale.

"I don't think I've ever felt more helpless."  
John whispered and pushed Christian's damp fringe off his forehead.

"Me either. But all we can do really is wait and be there for him. What I really want to know is who did this though…"  
John nodded and I stood. His eyes followed me round the bed and stayed locked on me whilst I crawled under the covers and lay on my side facing him with Rosalie still asleep in my arms.

"I wonder if your father knows…"  
He mused.

"He won't, unless someone came forward with information last night. Nell had no idea what was going on when I just asked her now. She was quite shocked that a person could do this."  
John smiled.

"Well then your father definitely won't know if Nell didn't know. What do you think his reaction will be though?"  
I shrugged and sighed, I seemed to be doing a lot of that recently.

"He will most likely feel quite guilty, and then angry that it has once again happened right under his nose."  
John hummed in response and Christian stirred next to him. He let out a whine like groan, like he was in pain and tried to curl tighter into John's chest. His arms tightened around him and he whispered soothing words to him until he settled again. John was absently rubbing his back when he looked back up at me again.

"Why is this happening? What could have warranted it?"

"People can be bought for the right amount of money John. And also this could just be Lord Thomas trying to get a last stab at us in before he comes to justice."  
John nodded and looked back to Christian.

"So what did the doctor say?"  
I asked. He answered without taking his eyes off our sleeping son.

"He needs plenty of rest, plenty of water and needs to keep his strength up. He has to have the medicine I gave him last night four times a day, I'm taking that time as my starting point so in the next two hours he will have to wake up to take that. And he also needs a bath, if not just for a wash but also to get his temperature somewhat normal again."  
I nodded.

"We also need to let father know what has happened and that you won't be around for a good few days at least. I think I might send Isabelle a note later."  
He nodded and we lay in silence for a while until Christian woke. He wasn't too happy about it because he felt sick straight away. John was immediately telling him everything was alright, and got him to take some medicine. Christian objected at first, saying it tasted horrible and was only going to make him more ill, but the promise of playtime with Rosalie later if he was up to it brightened him a little. Rosalie had managed to sleep through her brother's complaints and slight tantrum, thank god he didn't have enough energy to have a full blown tantrum, then she definitely wouldn't have been happy.

* * *

Father sent Isabelle round a few hours after sawn, I wasn't aware that John was needed today since his daughter would barely be a day old and father relieved him of duties for a week when it was Christian.  
But apparently he was needed for some trivial thing that father didn't want to leave until later and he wanted someone he could trust to do it.

"Isla you're not being rational. Father needs Elmont, is it not right for him to ask a person he trusts?"  
Rosalie had been left in her crib in the bedroom with John keeping an eye on her and Christian, he volunteered, so I had been reading in the living room, sitting cross legged on a couch in one of John's blue shirts that stopped halfway down my thighs.

"Isabelle, you have no idea what my reasons are…"  
I almost sang, not looking up from my book.

"Well I'm assuming that since you had a child yesterday they're selfish ones."

"Isabelle if I was going to be selfish then I would be upstairs now with my family, but instead, I'm here, arguing with you."  
She pulled the book out of my hands and I flicked my gaze up to her face. She was quite angry, it showed in her eyes.

"What's gotten into you? Did having Rosalie suddenly make you into an insufferable old witch?"  
I could have slapped her.

"Isabelle, you know nothing. Now go back to father and tell him John will not be able to do whatever it is father apparently 'needs' him for."  
I stood and made to go to the stairs but she grabbed my wrist and I spun round to face her.

"Who are you and what did you do with my sister? Well no, you're not really my sister are you…"

"Isabelle, I will slap you. First you burst in here, knowing my daughter is only just a day old, but still not even attempting to be quiet, second you demand John be in town for some task father needs done, then when I refuse to send him you accuse me of being selfish, without listening to reasons. And do I even need to mention what you've just said…"  
She showed no signs of backing down.

"You were the one talking father into marrying me off to a man I hated."

"Isabelle, you have no idea how guilty I felt doing that, I tried to kill myself before I knew about Christian and then when your engagement got announced the first time I spent hours crying into John's chest, it was that which got the decision reversed because I begged him to talk to father. You can't even imagine the pain I went through after that, the bruises I was given, the torture I went through at home. Can you imagine Jack's face if you refused him?"  
She was silent.

"I didn't think so. Now as for your nephew, he's very ill. If you had bothered to ask after him, I would have told you; He has been poisoned. It was in the cake father brought yesterday. We didn't know about this until last night when he was very sick. John had to run for the doctor in the early hours. He's currently in the bedroom looking after his son and minding his daughter because he wanted me to relax and take things easy. So he won't be leaving the house for a while, or at least until Christian can actually eat and keep it down."  
Isabelle was silent and just looked at me in shock. She dropped the book and flung her arms around me. I hugged her tightly in return.

"I'm so sorry Isla, I had no idea…"  
She whispered. I smiled slightly into her shoulder.

"It's alright, but you really should have asked first. I also need you to tell father about this. I don't want to leave John with Rosalie and Christian in case something happens and he needs me."  
She pulled away and nodded.

"Of course I will. But how would it have been poisoned?"  
I shrugged.

"Maybe not all of the people paid to act on Roderick's orders were caught, but if that's the case then hopefully this is the last. Can I go and see them?"  
I nodded and she kissed my cheek before running off to the stairs.

"Isla, I'm so sorry about what I said, I guess I just haven't been feeling right recently."  
She smiled apologetically and I smiled gently back.

"Isabelle, you're my sister, I know you never mean those things. And be quiet up there, I don't know if all three of them are asleep or not so just be cautious."  
She nodded and slowly ascended the stairs.  
I turned to pick my book up and place it carefully on the couch.

Upstairs Isabelle was stood outside the bedroom door, she looked unsure of whether to go in or not. I grinned and slipped around the door. John was asleep with Christian curled into his side and Rosalie on his chest.

"Isabelle it's alright, they're only asleep."  
I called quietly. She crept into the room and John stirred.

"What time is it?"  
He muttered. Isabelle smiled at him and picked Rosalie up.

"Time for Christian's next batch of medication darling. Do you want me to wake him up?"  
I asked gently. John shook his head and woke Christian up as nicely as he possibly could. He wasn't willing to wake up at all but eventually did. Isabelle gasped when she saw him properly.

"He looks terrible!"  
She whispered once John had left the room with Christian in his arms.

"I know, he barely slept last night and John was up with him every time. Nothing has stayed down, not even water and he just feels so sick and weak."  
I sighed and sank down onto the bed. Isabelle sat beside me and I lay my head on her shoulder.

"Everything will turn out alright Isla, you'll see. John won't let anything happen to Christian and the person responsible will be caught. Father will make sure of that."  
I nodded.

"I know he will. But I just feel so helpless, you saw him just now. He's my little boy and he's sick and hurting and there's not a thing I can do about it."  
She lay her head on top of mine.

"The only thing you can do really is to stay strong for him until he gets better. I'm here for you and so is Elmont."  
I lifted my head and smiled sadly at her.

"You went from calling him by his given name to his surname."  
She chuckled half-heartedly.

"Calling him by his first name is strange, I've called him Elmont since I was five years old."  
I chuckled again but it was hollow.

"Well his surname is mine as well, it has been for almost six years."  
She smiled and I ran my finger along Rosalie's tiny soft cheek. She stirred against Isabelle's shoulder and gurgled in her sleep.

"I know this Isla, It hardly seems like six years though."  
I smiled.

"Six years in a few months, have you and Jack decided on a date yet?"  
She grinned and Rosalie decided to wake up. She didn't seem too happy with being held by her aunt so I took her.

"The first day of spring, just like yours. But that might change if Christian is still not well."  
I nodded and shifted Rosalie so she was looking at her auntie.

"Well hopefully he will be alright and you will look absolutely breath taking in mother's dress."  
She smiled and offered Rosalie a finger, she took it and shook it like a rattle.

"I'm going to be hard put to look better than you did. Isla she's gorgeous!"  
She sighed, I smiled and kissed the top of my daughter's head.

"You will look just like mother did, by far better than me since mother was absolutely beautiful. And she is."  
I grinned. Isabelle was about to speak again but John came back into the room, still carrying Christian. He looked a little more awake now but John was carrying the bucket from his room.

"Jam and bread has been eaten, it's just a case of whether it stays eaten."  
He smiled and sat down on the bed. Christian reached out for Isabelle and she gave him a quick hug before he reached back to John.

"I'm going to let father know what has happened. He needs to know this. All of it."  
I flinched.

"Please not all of it Isabelle?"

"Yes all of it Isla. Father needs to know this."  
I sighed and nodded.

"I'll be back later then, Christian, you just concentrate on getting better young man."  
She smiled at him and he waved back before she left the room.

**So, Christian is ill and Isabelle knows everything….  
Please review with opinions, they're greatly appreciated, thanks for reading…**


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry for the long time between updates**

**Enjoy:**

**King Brahmwell POV:**

Is it normal for a father to dread his daughter's wedding day? I mean, before Isla married Elmont I was up nearly all the night, thinking up every possible worst scenario. Last night was no different. I was kept up almost all night with visions of giants swooping in to take Isabelle away or that Jack would get uncomfortable and run off. These had all been illuminated once I woke up, late after only a few hours' sleep, and saw Elmont and Christian walking around the gardens with Jack who was obviously elated, but still showed nothing but nervousness.

Christian seemed to be enjoying himself with Elmont, teasing Jack about things judging by the smiles and glances they kept giving each other. Jack looked like he was getting more and more frustrated by the second. I grinned, he was going to have to get used to this; Elmont was going to be his brother-in-law by the end of the day and Christian was going to be his nephew-in a more secure meaning than him just referring to him as 'uncle jack'. Elmont ran a hand through his hair as he turned, following Jack's path of pacing and the sun glinted off his hand. I squinted to see more clearly and my eyes widened in pleasant surprise- he was wearing his wedding ring for once! I wonder if Isla had a part in this…  
But he wasn't in his uniform, no guardian was, only my private guard were-I had forbidden any symbol of strife or war at Isabelle and Jack's wedding.  
When I examined my sons in law, both current and to-be; I saw Elmont wearing his ring showing his family crest on the smallest finger on his left hand, making a delightful companion to his wedding ring. His attire on the whole was pleasing to look at, yet again I suspect Isla had some part in this as he and Christian matched. He was wearing light brown trousers, tucked into a pair of brown boots I didn't even think he owned and a white shirt tucked into the trousers but hung off his torso like it had simply been draped over him. The ties at the front were hanging slightly open like he had been pulling at them and his long sleeved over tunic was slung over a bench nearby. It was dark blue with gold stitching and gold buttons. Christian looked remarkably grown up in his miniature versions of his father's clothes, light brown trousers over his boots, white shirt- although more fitted than Elmont's and a blue jacket, without the gold embellishments his father's displayed, and shorter.  
His small face kept looking up at his Elmont's almost every time they turned a corner on their pacing route, earning a smile and from him before they undoubtedly launched into some other slightly tyrannical assault on Jack's sanity.

Christian had been on the mend for weeks now after the unfortunate incident with the poison. I blamed myself so much for that, and even after both Isla and Elmont had assured me there was nothing I could have done to know and prevent this, the feeling still lingered.  
He was back to his cheery self now though although his cheeks still held a slightly flushed appearance it was impossible to tell by his demeanour that something quite that tragic had happened to him not so long ago.  
All through his confinement in the house Elmont had stayed with him, reassuring him and reading to him when he couldn't sleep. I doubt there had been a time when he had let go of his son in the months he was ill for. It was painful to watch Isla and Elmont go through that, they both adored Christian and now Rosalie and their anguish showed in their eyes no matter how hard they tried to conceal it. He had been brave throughout and had in many ways reached his aspirations to become like his father; he had beaten that vile substance attacking his body, not many tears had been shed after he had come to terms with what was happening, he had acted quite grown up about it and even acquiesced to taking his medicine without a fuss.

I chuckled quietly when Jack rounded on the father-son team of tormentors following him. Elmont and Christian clearly found this as funny as I did as they showed no sign of remorse. Jack threw his hands up and carried on with his pacing, Elmont and Christian looked at each other and followed him, Christian was now going as far as to imitate Jack's gait, something Elmont was finding particularly funny, needless to say Jack was not.

"Father, are you alright?"  
Isla's gentle voice and hand on my shoulder brought me out of my observations. I reached up to clutch her hand and nodded.

"Perfectly alright, I'm just watching your husband and son torment Jack."  
I chuckled as Jack dived playfully for Christian and Elmont doubled over laughing. Isla slipped silently over to my side and lay her head on my shoulder like she used to as a teenager and we used to just watch the world go by.

"They are ruthless, I pity him slightly."  
She chuckled but gasped when Elmont straightened up.

"Where is his tunic?"  
She gasped and made to leave, most likely to berate him.

"Leave him be Isla, he will be properly dressed by the time he needs to be."  
I chuckled. Isla grasped my hand and lay her head on my shoulder again.

"Where's young Rosalie?"  
I asked after a while, when Jack had returned to his pacing and Elmont and Christian to their tormenting.

"Asleep in her aunt's room. She curled up in the duvet almost as soon as I put her down."  
She chuckled.

"Did she not sleep last night?"  
I asked, it seemed odd that one of Isla's children should have been sleep deprived if Christian's habits were anything to go by.

"No. she wouldn't settle for hours. She had to be sung to sleep in the end but both she and Christian woke early this morning, John wasn't even up!"  
I smiled and lay my head on top of hers.

"Christian came and crawled into the bed with us and curled up with his father, Rosalie then felt left out so naturally she demanded to be included. All three of them refused to leave the bed though, father it was a painful experience getting ready this morning."  
She groaned I merely chuckled.

"I thought you might have had a hand in their appearance."  
I chuckled and heard Isla's replying one.

"Yes, their clothes were thrown at them after I had gotten Rosalie dressed. The lazy children had fallen asleep again."  
I couldn't help but laugh at her description of her husband especially.

"Be nice Isla, Christian and John especially have been through a hard time lately."

"So am I just invisible?"  
She interrupted me incredulously.

"Of course not dear, you have been being a wonderful mother to your beautiful daughter while your devoted husband has been looking after your son, that's why I only said those two. You've had a very charming young lady for company, not a sickly young man."  
She was silent for a while.

"I suppose you're right, as usual."  
She sighed. I chuckled and wrapped an arm around her.

"I love you Isla, you do know this don't you. And what happened those months ago still plagues my mind."  
She looked up at me, smiling sadly.

"Father I wish you wouldn't say that, there was nothing you or anyone could have done. Neither John or I blame you, and neither does Christian. What's happened has happened and the culprit was caught."  
I returned her smile with paralleled emotions.

"After she was given up by her own friend. I'm not entirely comfortable with this Isla. I don't like his happening to the ones I love and right where I'm meant to see it. It makes me feel helpless."  
Isla reached up on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek.

"Father you're getting silly in your old age. No child could wish for a better father or grandfather."  
I grinned at her, silently thanking her.

"I'm not getting that old."  
I protested weakly. She smiled and looked back out of the window and gasped. Christian was now upside down over Elmont's shoulder and Jack was tickling him mercilessly.

"Oh I'm going to have to go father. Christian still isn't well, they're going to make him be sick!"  
She sighed but as she turned to go I grabbed her wrist.

"Isla, let Christian and Rosalie stay here tonight. I don't want to be lonely on my first night without either you or your sister, and both you and Elmont need some time to yourselves after what you've been through these past few months."  
She considered this for a while before nodding at me.

"Alright. I'll go and talk to John about it now."  
She smiled and rushed off down the corridor, her blue dress flowing behind her.  
I turned my attention back to the scene out of the window, Isla must have run because she was just appearing near the men. Elmont looked pleased to see her but she was less pleased about his state of mind if anything. I could see Christian wave at her from his position upside down and Jack shrink away from them.  
From what it looked like Isla was berating Elmont for his boisterous treatment of his son and also for being so under dressed in public. This minor spat continued for a short time even after Elmont had put Christian down and he had gone to embrace his mother before running off to play with Jack.  
Elmont didn't look too pleased at obviously having been ordered to put his tunic on judging by the way he stomped off to get it and pulled it roughly around his body. She smiled up at him winningly which clearly softened his raised shields and he slipped his arms around her gently. They talked for a while before Elmont's lips swooped down to press against Isla's. No matter how long they had been married, or how many children they had, I was never going to get rid of the overwhelming sense of fatherly protectiveness I felt at times like this. They broke away and just smiled dopily at each other. Isla was the first to regain her composure, and she clearly broached the topic of the children staying with me. Elmont looked taken aback by this and like he was about to refuse, but Isla cut him off before he could utter a word by the looks of things. They spoke for a while, near the end of this conversation sly and knowing smiles had appeared on each of their faces-I decided I didn't want to know what had been said to provoke this reaction.

Both Elmont and Isla looked up to me and smiled. Isla blew me a kiss and Elmont bowed slightly. He had obviously not known I had been watching. Isla turned back to him, gave him a chaste kiss on his mouth and came back indoors. Elmont turned to his son and smiled. Christian cried out in amusement as he set off through the gardens, Elmont and Jack hot on his tail.

The sounds of Isla approaching restored my attention to the direction she was approaching from and for the first time this morning I was afforded the full image of my eldest daughter.

"My dear you look divine, but I thought you were going to have a red dress, it is your favourite colour after all."  
I inquired. Isla smiled and perched daintily on the wide window sill.

"I was. But even though it's my favourite colour, blue is Isabelle's so I thought I would have a welcome change."  
She smiled. I nodded.

It was a fine dress indeed. It showed off her sculpted porcelain décolletage in a curved 'v' neckline with sleeves that barely graced the tops of her shoulders then fell to her wrists, tightly encapsulating her arms in twisting columns of fabric. The bodice was gathered from the 'V' in the middle of her chest and managed to conceal her figure's 'imperfections' as she annoyingly referred to them as, since she had not yet lost all the weight she had put on while pregnant with Rosalie. The folds continued and encircled her body until her mid-thigh where they came together and a multitude of gold and white roses cascaded floorward in the beginnings of her voluminous skirt in so many yards of fabric it was a wonder she didn't trip up, although the skirt did flow becomingly behind her and around her legs when she walked. There were frosted glass beads, slightly accented with gold tracing every fold in the fabric from the 'V' giving them more definition. And of course her cross hung from her neck on a gold ribbon matching the embellishments on her dress.

"Do you not like this? John surprised me with it the other day. He said he saw it in town and couldn't help himself, I did tell him it was too much but he was very insistent."  
She turned round to indicate the jewellery adorning her ebony tresses. I hummed approvingly. Her hair had been half pulled up so there was a bun at the back of her head, encased by an intricate net of delicate gold chain and bright white jewels, with several long chains cascading down the length of her hair to wrap around and under the length of it, keeping it in place down her back, but also ensuring the jewels at the end of these lengths were free to inter-twine with her hair as they fell freely.

"It does seem made for you dear."  
I observed quietly. She turned and indicated the window. Elmont, Jack and Christian were returning, Jack looked more nervous than ever and was twisting the cuff of his shirt in quite a childlike way.

"I suppose we had better go to Isabelle. She was getting very excitable when I left."  
Isla slid off the sill and I held my arm out to her.

"I wonder if Rosalie has actually slept through all the preparations, actually it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest."  
She laughed, taking my arm. We wandered slowly through the corridors leading to Isabelle's room.

"I noticed Elmont's wedding ring has found its way back to its rightful place."  
I stated. Isla chuckled.

"I was as surprised as you are, I had thought he had lost it for a time, but it appeared sometime in the night, it wasn't there when we went to sleep, I know, but it was there when we woke up."  
She laughed.

"I think he's trying to keep it on now. Which, I can't say I object to really."  
She carried on laughing. It was almost as if she was seventeen again, not a mother of two and happily married woman.

"Father, you might want to prepare yourself, Isabelle looks so much like mother."  
She turned to me with a huge smile, indicated I should wait outside the door while she slipped inside. I heard excited voices and then Isla called out to me that I could go inside. Tentatively I swung the door open. Isabelle was stood in the middle of the room with her hands clasped in front of her. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of her.

"So, what do you think father?"  
Isla called from where she was sat on the bed cuddling a smiling Rosalie.

"I think you look beautiful my dear. The spitting image of your mother."  
I whispered, my voice getting thicker by the second.  
Her hair was pulled up into an intricate bun just like her mother's had been all those years ago, her tiara had been attached to the veil Isla had used, it was waiting to be put on sat patiently on her vanity and she wore a necklace with many jewelled flowers on, it had been from Isla and Elmont last Christmas hung around her neck. She brushed one of the wispy curls framing her face back slightly.

"No note from Jack Isla."  
She addressed her sister, with slight disappointment in her voice.

"Well John and Christian have been keeping his mind occupied all morning, I pity him slightly because I know what they're like."  
She laughed lightly. Rosalie giggled softly too and Isla smiled widely down at her and rubbed her nose lightly against her daughter's.

"Note?"  
I asked. Isla blushed slightly.

"John sent me a note, just with his thoughts and feelings the morning we were married. It was a little gesture that Isabelle found especially romantic."  
She sighed fondly. I just nodded.

"Well they've already gone to the church, shall we get going?"  
I asked, keen to get any sense of discomfort out of the way, but still not so keen as to see my youngest daughter off to another man. Isabelle nodded at me and picked up her flowers, a huge bouquet of beautiful white roses, exactly like her mother's had been, only quite a bit bigger. Isla walked over to us and handed me Rosalie. The tiny girl looked a little lost at the sudden change but she soon went back to normal when I turned her to see what her mother was doing.

She had picked up the veil and was arranging it over Isabelle's head. My granddaughter looked up at me suddenly, the swift movement displacing her bonnet slightly. I smiled fondly down at her and righted the little white lace head wear. She gurgled happily and I tapped her nose lightly. Isla coughed and I turned back to my daughters. They were stood side by side and the veil was now covering Isabelle's face.

"Isabelle. You're beautiful. Every inch a complete angel."  
I whispered crossing to her and kissing her cheek through the veil. Isla turned away from us for a second and I just smiled at Isabelle knowingly.  
Isla turned round and her eyes were shining with tears. She hugged Isabelle lightly round her waist.

"You're beautiful Belle. An absolute angel."  
She whispered, her voice was obviously threatening to give out on her and Rosalie looked up at me sharply again. She didn't know why her mother's voice sounded so strange to her and I think she was finding it a little distressing. Isla pulled away from Isabelle and held her arms out for her daughter who was starting to fuss at her mother's obvious emotional state. Isla cuddled her daughter close and whispered sweet affections into her tiny ear while straightening out the tiny girl's frilly lacy white frock.

"We should go now I suppose."  
I sighed and offered Isabelle my arm. She smiled brilliantly up at me.  
The ride to the same church Isla had married Elmont in took longer than I remembered but between Isla and Isabelle chattering and fussing over Rosalie there was never a quiet second.

Christian met us outside the church, he was looking a little lost but his face brightened up as soon as Isla stepped down from the carriage.

"Father's inside with uncle Jack. He's really nervous mother."  
He laughed. Isla knelt down in front of him and kissed his rosy cheek.

"I know he is. Did you know your father was like that when me and him got married."  
She told him, like she was telling him a secret. Christian's mouth fell open in surprise.

"Really? Father was like uncle Jack is now?"  
He asked like he couldn't believe this.

"I don't know exactly since I didn't see him until I got to church, but he sent me a note telling me how nervous he was."  
Christian laughed and then stopped once he saw Isabelle behind his mother.

"Auntie Belle looks so pretty."  
He whispered loudly.

"I know. Isn't uncle Jack lucky?"  
Isla asked, her voice threatening to break again. Christian nodded vigorously and reached for Rosalie.

"You can carry her in to your father if you're very careful and go slowly."  
He nodded and got a little more impatient.  
Isla looked back to Isabelle and myself. Isabelle nodded and grinned down at her nephew. There was a bit of a crowd gathering around, joyful whispers were already circulating regarding Isabelle's appearance.

"Are you sure you will be very careful?"  
Isla was still questioning Christian seriously.

"Of course I will mother."  
His patience was now quite gone, just like his father's at some times. Isla sighed and transferred her daughter to Christian's outstretched arms. Some of the crowd 'awwed' at this gesture and at Christian's quiet greeting to his sister. Isla turned to us and smiled widely and stood.

"Good luck."  
She whispered to Isabelle, or me- I couldn't tell who- before she disappeared into the church behind her children, keeping a very close eye on them.

"So father, shall we go?"  
Isabelle whispered to me. I nodded slowly and she took my arm.  
Isabelle had decided she wasn't going to have a bridesmaid, since Isla wasn't able to do it, and Jack had followed suit in not having a best man. I had hold of the rings and Isla and Elmont had been asked to be witnesses which they had agreed to willingly.

It was hard watching Isabelle, but Isla slipped her hand into mine at the vows which I was grateful for. She was tearing up, well no, she was in tears, but the smile plastered across her face disproved any notion she was aggrieved. Elmont sighed and offered her a handkerchief, he offered me a brief grin which I had to smile at because it was his way of expressing exasperation at Isla's knowledge she was going to cry but neglecting to bring a handkerchief of her own. Christian was obviously bored because he had started messing around with the edges of his sleeves and Rosalie just didn't know what was going on. Jack and Isabelle did look wonderful together though.

Both were dressed in white, Jack had been talked into wearing it, probably by Elmont, after he was talked into it by Isla, after Isabelle had put the idea in her head- I gave up trying to understand this a while ago.  
But his white trousers which were tucked into his black boots and white tunic matched the fabric on Isabelle's dress perfectly, and allowed the black shirt to show though under it and his simple but voluminous silver neck tie. He looked like Isabelle's equal, I was sure Elmont had had a hand in this earlier this morning.

"Father are you alright?"  
Isla whispered to me. I nodded and squeezed her hand.

"I'm fine, just having a hard time coming to terms with things."  
I whispered back. Isla nodded.

"Well you've got your two delightful grandchildren for company later."  
She chuckled and I smiled back.

"No need to remind me. I'm quite looking forward to it."  
I replied and we fell into silence. Isla's hand didn't slip from mine until the end of the service when Jack led Isabelle out of the doors and Elmont offered his arm to Isla. I got Rosalie and Christian walked with me too.

"You really are hopeless Isla."  
I could hear Elmont remarking fondly from behind me.

"Yes but I knew you would give me your handkerchief so I didn't need to bring one."  
She laughed back. I couldn't help chuckling.

"And what made you so sure of this?"  
He asked, still with obvious fondness in his voice.

"Because you love me."  
I tensed slightly.

"Do I now. What makes you so sure of that?"  
He chuckled. I wasn't happy with this conversation but it was rude to eavesdrop so I held my tongue.

"Because you gave me yours anyway. And also I know you do John, I know this very well."  
Her joking answer turned serious towards its close, but her voice was soft as ever that I could just imagine Elmont's loving smile directed towards her right now.

"And you would be correct in your knowledge. But tell me this, is it returned?"  
He chuckled. I smiled at their daughter who was seemingly listening intently to her parents' conversation with me.

"I'm surprised you even need to ask that. Oh, don't they look beautiful."  
She sighed as soon as we caught sight of Jack and Isabelle outside. They were talking quietly with their arms wrapped around the other's torso.

"Very much so darling."  
Elmont answered her. Isla broke free of his embrace and went to hug Isabelle who detached herself from Jack just as her sister reached them.  
I could see them whispering to each other, but couldn't make out what was being said.

"Are you looking forward to seeing the results of Isla and Isabelle's dance lessons as much as me your majesty?"  
Elmont chuckled from behind my shoulder. I smiled and turned to face him Christian was scuffing his shoes impatiently next to him but Elmont hadn't noticed this yet.

"I am looking forward to seeing this very much. They almost gave up a few times I know but from what I saw the final result was satisfactory at least."  
I chuckled, this was returned by Elmont.

"Isla came home many times just in fits of laughter and at one point Isabelle even got me to demonstrate with Isla."  
He chuckled, as did I but then got it under control.

"We shouldn't laugh, he does try."  
Elmont repressed his mirth and nodded.

"Christian will you stop doing that, you're going to wear those through."  
He almost snapped down at Christian. The young boy looked up at him wide eyed.

"I'm bored though. I've been bored for HOURS."  
He exaggerated the 'hours' and Elmont rolled his eyes.

"You have not been bored for hours, you've been bored for about half of one. Now your mother is coming over so quiet and stop scuffing your shoes."  
Christian groaned but nodded and Elmont ruffled his hair.  
Isla was dabbing her eyes gently but smiling ridiculously widely as Elmont opened an arm for her and she was pulled gladly into his body.

"Are they going back to the castle now?"  
I asked her. She nodded.

"Just as soon as that duchess has stopped her prattling."  
She chuckled and gestured to where a particularly nosey, loud-mouthed and generally gossipy member of the aristocracy was undoubtedly interrogating Isabelle and Jack. Isabelle caught my eye and made a face which just made me laugh- all of this went unnoticed by the duchess of course.

"So are we going back in the carriage you Jack and Christian came in?"  
Isla asked me after my laughter had subsided.

"Yes. Isabelle and Jack are going in the one we came in."

"I still would have preferred to ride."  
Elmont muttered. Isla laughed and hit his chest.

"You know as well as I do that Christian can't ride alone yet and Rosalie is not even being let near a saddle until she can walk properly."  
Isla laughed back. Elmont sighed but kissed Isla's temple. His mouth didn't move for a good few minutes but Isla didn't seem to mind and I turned back to watch Isabelle and Jack.

"Are you looking forward to Jack's dancing as much as I am?"  
She giggled. Elmont started laughing gently again.

"Your father says we shouldn't tease him about it."  
Elmont murmured, I think he wasn't intending for me to hear but his amusement proved that impossible.

"He's right we shouldn't. But I just can't help it sometimes, he tries, bless him."  
She chuckled sympathetically and Elmont hummed in response.  
The duchess had left Jack and Isabelle now and their carriage had appeared behind them. Isabelle blew me a kiss and Jack bowed to me before helping her in. Both leaned out of the window and waved at the people stood outside to see them off. I sighed and turned back to my eldest daughter and her family. Christian was staring off into space distractedly and looking very bored whereas Isla and Elmont were now whispering to each other with content smiles on their faces. Rosalie started to get a little restless in my arms and that immediately caught Isla's attention. She held her arms out for her daughter. The little girl snuggled closer to her mother and put her thumb in her mouth. Elmont frowned and pulled the tiny digit from his daughter's mouth. She pouted and put the thumb back in her mouth, Elmont again frowned and pulled it free again. This continued for another three times until he gave up and Rosalie lay her head on her mother's shoulder. Isla kissed her daughter's head lightly and indicated over my shoulder to where the carriage that was to take us back to the castle had just pulled up. Elmont offered her his arm which he took and I offered Christian my hand which he took and dragged his feet next to me. Elmont lifted him into the carriage and helped Isla in, he stood aside for me and followed once I was inside. Once he was seated Rosalie was transferred to his arms where she proceeded to fall asleep against his shoulder. Isla chattered to Christian about various topics from how he was feeling to the book he was apparently reading with his father, I looked on fondly at my eldest daughter's family and how happy they were, surely feeling so bad on Isabelle's wedding day would only give way to feelings as good as these at later points in her and Jack's marriage. They loved each other dearly just like Elmont and Isla did so this lost feeling will dissipate with time, I'm sure of it.

**Next chapter is the last one, please review…**


	10. Chapter 10

**I know if anyone bothered to do the maths you'll find the timings don't add up, but it needed to be like this in order for my plan to work and it is the last chapter now anyway,**

**Enjoy:**

**Elmont POV:**

Two and a half months after 'incarceration' in the bedroom seemed like a small price to pay for my current situation, alive if nothing else. Isla, myself, Christian and Rosalie had all gone with Jack and Isabelle to a little clearing, the one Isla and I had visited when I was made captain, but this time for a much more innocent type of picnic. Isabelle and Jack were splashing about in the shallows of the river that ran through while Christian was playing with Rosalie on the bank, her curly black hair was being adorned by her brother, with many a daisy, matching her little white frock. Since her hair had started growing longer, Isla had decided against putting a bonnet on her and was content at just leaving her to have a fluffy curly mop of black curls on show.

"John are you positive you're alright? You don't want anything do you?"  
I sighed and rolled my eyes playfully at Isla's fussing. She had been treating me like I was made of glass ever since I came back injured from dissolving a minor uprising in the north

_Flashback_

_Even though I was conscious, not much was registering. I did know I was back in Cloister, but didn't know exactly where, and that I had been brought back on the front of my second's saddle, barely conscious and in some pain although I would never let that known. A doctor had been called and I think Isla had been sent a note telling her the basics, but not what had happened exactly._

_The sound of someone banging heavily on a door and shutters somewhere above me being opened followed by a feminine cry and the shutters closing again. There was a bit of whispering and I tried to say something, but a hand descended on my shoulder when nothing but a pained moan came from my mouth, then a cough at the pressure it put on my chest, then something wet on my cheek._

"_Don't try to speak sir."  
A voice reached my ears. I tried to nod once but a blinding pain stopped me doing much more than groaning in extreme discomfort. The sound of a heavy door opening and an older female voice broke through my hazy conscience. I couldn't hear what was being said, but the voices involved sounded extremely concerned. The stretcher I was on started moving again and moved up some stairs and round a corner. Another feminine voice, Isla's sailed to my ears next, making me actually try and listen, she sounded upset. I was moved onto something soft, probably the bed if I was at home but no matter how careful these people were trying to be I couldn't help crying out. I heard Isla sob and my chest clenched painfully, causing me to cough and more wet to fall on my cheek. The bed dipped next to me and I felt something touch my cheek, wiping something away. My head turned slowly to the direction Isla was no doubt sitting and her hand cupped my cheek._

"_John, open your eyes."  
She whispered, her voice was thick and I slowly cracked my eyes open, though I wish I hadn't in some ways. She smiled down at me through the tears that were rolling down her cheeks. I tried to say something but as soon as I opened my mouth my second appeared with the doctor behind her shoulder. She made to stand but in a sudden burst of strength my hand found hers and clasped it tightly. The sudden movement was enough to make me wince but I simply couldn't cry out because I would not want to put my sweet darling Isla through any more. She nodded and kissed the top of my hand before prying my grip off and moving round the bed to my other side, reassuring me with her smile, despite how much of her concern showed through. She held my other hand while the doctor examined me and my second related the events which had gotten me in this state, apparently I wasn't the only one, but I was the worst injured._

_There had been some kind of explosion while we were away, my other more senior ranking men had been getting their groups to safety like me, my group had been closest to the target and so the worst hit.  
The general reason for the injuries sustained was because each leader of a group had been putting their troops' lives before their own, my second had been leading his group on a mission to somehow eradicate our attackers, so he wasn't badly hurt.  
It appeared that the explosion had imbedded pieces of debris in all soldiers hit, that was why I was having trouble speaking and the wet on my cheek must have been blood._

_Isla looked particularly disturbed by this description of events and tried her hardest to hide her horror. She thanked my second profusely for riding solidly since yesterday afternoon, tending my injuries as best he could as well as seeing to his own. He left with the promise he would return in the morning with news of each other injured person and to keep me company while Isla talked to the children- a job she was no doubt dreading, and in actual fact, as was I._

_The doctor removed every piece of the offending material from my body and made sure everything was perfectly sound before he bandaged my chest tightly. Isla helped, because I was obviously in pain and there was always constant movement which caused my control over my cries of pain to almost slip at times. The doctor took his leave and closed the door quietly, giving me the instruction not to overexert myself, but it was alright for me to talk in whispers._

_My eyes had not left my wife's all the while the doctor had been in the room and she was now stroking a delicate hand through my hair with a gentle smile on her face._

"_Isla?"  
She hummed quietly in response._

"_What did that note say?"  
I whispered. Her smile faltered a little._

"_That you had been injured badly and were returning post-haste because they feared for your life."  
Her whisper was the same level as mine, just not as halting._

"_Sorry."  
I tried to smile, she obviously saw this because she smiled too._

"_You had better be, the amount of worry you put me through. I thought you weren't coming back."  
I raised a hand painfully slowly and cupped her cheek._

"_I could never do that, Rosalie is barely nine months old and Christian has just turned six. I wouldn't miss them growing up for the world."  
She chuckled breathily and turned her head to kiss my palm. My breath caught in my throat and I struggled for a few seconds until the problem righted itself again._

"_And of course seeing you every day."  
I whispered, my voice sounded raspier than before and Isla's hand slipped down to draw patterns on my cheek._

"_At least you have your priorities straight."  
She Smiled and kissed my cheek._

"_Are you staying in here tonight?"  
I asked painfully. Isla looked unsure._

"_The doctor said you needed rest and you weren't to over exert yourself and I think you've done enough of that as it is."  
I rolled my eyes._

"_But I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep without you here."  
I protested, a little too strenuously than my body would allow and my torso clenched in protest, leaving me gasping in pain. Isla looked extremely concerned and her hand around my cheek tightened slightly._

"_Alright I'll stay. Now you need to rest."  
She whispered, her voice had become thick and slightly hoarse like she was trying not to cry._

"_Can I have a kiss first?"  
I pleaded and ran my thumb over her cheek bone. She smiled gently at me and lowered her lips to mine._

_I know people say "Kiss it better" but I oddly did feel strength rushing through me, even at the simple pressure of her soft lips on my slightly chapped ones. She pulled away first after an unsatisfactory amount of time in my opinion and I moaned in protest which she took for pain and her eyes immediately became concerned._

"_Not long enough."  
I whispered lowly. Isla smiled sadly._

"_Well that's as long as it's going to be. You need rest."  
I frowned and Isla's smile grew and she kissed my forehead._

"_And anyway. If you're feeling. Stronger tomorrow. I'll bring. Christian and Rosalie. To see you."  
She peppered my face with light kisses between words causing me to smile as widely as I could and thread my fingers through her hair._

"_Isla…"  
I whispered she hummed in response again with her lips resting against the pulse point on my neck._

"_I love you."  
I whispered and felt her smile against my neck._

"_Please stop though, I don't think I want to see what a shiver feels like in this state."  
She chuckled and pulled her head away. I smiled at her gently and she returned it apologetically._

"_Now sleep. And I don't want to see you awake before at least nine or I will give you some of the medicine the doctor left to make you sleep."  
My mouth opened in disbelief._

"_You wouldn't…"  
I croaked, quieter than before._

"_Of course I would. You can't be trusted to do what the doctor says completely, I know you John."  
I winced and she giggled slightly._

"_Seriously John, you need to do what he says this time, no being stubborn or pushing yourself too far. No matter how much you don't want to admit it, you're incredibly weak right now and I know what you're like, you need to let me help you for a while, alright?"  
She had probably been expecting me to completely disagree with her on this, but_ _even though my mind was telling me to brush her concern off and go my own way like I had done so many times in the past, my body was overpowering that urge simply by continuously reminding me of the amount of pain I was in.  
Her face took on a shocked expression when I nodded slowly and she sat up. I cast her a worried look as she went to the door._

"_Don't worry, I'm coming back. I'm just going to get the medicine the doctor left. You must be in more pain than I thought if you actually agreed with me."  
She blew me a kiss and disappeared out of the door I was left staring up at the ceiling until she came back in, carrying a bottle of something I recognised as something to make a person go to sleep and coincidentally something I loathed taking._

"_Don't argue with me John, you're going to take some of this and not complain."  
She told me, well commanded me when she sat back on the bed and I opened my mouth to complain._

"_Why?"  
I managed before a spasm hit my chest again. Isla raised an eyebrow but her face managed to look concerned._

"_That is why John, you're not going to sleep well at all if that keeps happening during the night."  
I sighed and let her give me the foul medicine. She smiled and ran her small fingers through my hair until I finally started to fall asleep._

_Probably the last things I was aware of were her hand leave my head and lace with the one lying at my side, and Isla kiss my lips gently then whisper she loved me._

_End Flashback_

I gazed at Isla as she fussed around me, just smiling. Well that is until she caught sight of me and stood up with her hands on her hips and eyebrow raised questioningly.

"And may I ask what you're finding so amusing?  
She asked like she was chiding Christian but there was amusement underlying it.

"I was merely admiring you and how you're just the most amazing woman I have ever met."  
I smiled up at her, apparently that face I always used at times like this was the same as the one Christian had recently begun adopting when he was trying to look innocent when in trouble.

"Really, that face says otherwise."  
She laughed and sat down next to me on the blanket that had been spread out under a tree with cushions piled on top of it.

"That face is not to be trusted in that sense when coming from me. Christian maybe."  
She chuckled and slipped her arms around my waist. Mine went instinctively around her shoulders as her head fell to my shoulder lightly.

"Don't they look adorable."  
She sighed. It wasn't a question, it was a statement but I couldn't figure out who she was referring to.

"Isabelle and Jack or our children?"  
I asked. Isla giggled and kissed my cheek.

"I could say both, but Isabelle and Jack are grown adults and I think they outgrew the adjective 'adorable' a while ago."  
I nodded.

"Or then again, the way they're acting now…"  
She hummed, I sighed and faced her.

"I'll just take it you were commenting on both then."  
She smiled and we just stared at each other for a while until Isla lunged forward to kiss me quickly.

"What was that for?"  
I asked when we returned to our small distance again.

"Because I can. And you just looked so confused, it was adorable."  
I groaned but the smile on my face didn't falter.

"If Jack and Isabelle have outgrown 'adorable' then I think I definitely have since I'm older than you."  
She chuckled and wriggled out of my arms to lie back on the pile of cushions.

"A few months don't count. But John, you looked like Christian when he can't figure something out, therefore I think it's worthy of 'adorable'."  
I lay down next to her and she curled into my side under my arm.

"No, I don't think adorable would be right to describe you at any time, other than on our wedding night."  
I pinched her side lightly which only made her giggle and squirm against me.

"You were so nervous though, and you can't say anything about me because I know I was nervous. However, I wasn't the one who actually knew what to expect despite the fact I knew what happened."  
I felt heat creeping into my cheeks at that remark and lay my head against hers.

"Well it was my first time with you. That was why I was so nervous, it needed to be perfect."  
I whispered against her temple. She shifted so she was able to wrap an arm around my waist comfortably.

"Well I can safely say you achieved that darling. Now I'm hungry, what did Nell pack for us?"  
She reached across me to look in the basket next to me and brought out two apples. She handed one to me and bit into the other herself.

"You know something?"  
I burst out after a few minutes of silence. Isla raised an eyebrow and threw her apple core away.

"I think summer is my favourite season."  
I stated and threw my own apple core after Isla's.

"And why is that?"  
She asked and leaned back against me.

"Because I never see you looking lovelier, well no tell a lie I do, but that's for my eyes only."  
She laughed, a sound I revelled in and answered my compliment with another question.

"Can you elaborate on this?"  
I grinned and rearranged us so I was lying with my head in her lap.

"Well I think we both know what I'm referring to that is for my eyes only. But in summer you can wear things like this which make you look even more angelic than usual and the freckles on your nose stand out so you look so innocent."  
She laughed again and tapped my nose. I grinned and swept my eyes over her torso. Her white summer dress fluttered against a slight breeze and surrounded me in her intoxicating scent.  
One of her hands came up to right one of the ruffles across her chest and her ever present cross, now hanging from a white ribbon. The sound of our son and daughter giggling caught her attention and she looked up and smiled widely, causing me to look towards the sound. Christian was helping his sister walk towards us. She had started walking last week but couldn't manage more than a few steps on her own without falling. She smiled up at her brother and giggled when he pulled a face and they carried on. His hands were holding hers tightly so that there was no danger of her falling. I held out my arms once they got close to us and Christian let go of her hands. Rosalie swayed unsteadily but took a few steps before she almost fell and Christian caught her. He looked up at me but I just smiled cheekily and didn't move my arms.

"I'm not getting up Christian, Rosalie will have to manage the little distance on her own."  
He smiled and set her upright and she carried on walking towards me. After falling once and being caught by Christian again, she fell onto my chest and my arms encircled her tightly.

Rosalie, Isla and Isabelle matched in some way, all three were wearing white, but Rosalie had more substantial sleeves than her mother or aunt, they puffed out to her elbows and she also had a higher collar than both older women. My daughter's dress did end halfway down her calves though, in many flounces and lacy frills with little ribbons tying the whole thing together down her front.  
Isabelle and Isla had both opted for something relatively similar, both dresses exposed their décolletages and had no sleeves except a ruffle, or in Isla's case two, going across their shoulders. Isabelle's dress was more tailored than her sister's the skirt was less full and had hundreds of tiny pearl buttons going down it, right to the ruffles at the bottom. Isla's tied across the front like a corset, ending at the top in a bow under the ruffles, her skirt was a full circle and flew up if she twirled fast enough, it had ruffles at the bottom but more than Isabelle's and bigger ones than Isabelle's too, they started half way down her calves I think, unlike at her ankles, both dresses however had dainty embroidery all over in impossibly thin white thread.  
Both of them had tied their hair up in similar ways as well, Isabelle merely had a white ribbon with many pearls sewn on holding up half of her hair in a bun, whereas Isla had opted for her usual, or favourite style with a hair comb adorned with translucent crystal leaves with little diamonds made to look like raindrops scattered across them.

What really made me laugh this morning though, was Myself, Jack and Christian. All three of us were in extremely similar states of dress, although, Christian's white shirt had ruffles down the front and was tucked into his white trousers, in turn tucked into his white socks, Jack had a loose white shirt buttoned up to nearly the top, un tucked from his grey trousers and boots, whereas I had had to argue with Isla this morning about wearing one of my very loose white shirts that tied at the top- she knew I wouldn't be tying it at any point, perhaps tucking it in to my black trousers if I felt that degree of decency was called for- unlikely.

Rosalie gurgled at me, bringing me out of my recollection so I smiled down at her and sat up.

"Clever girl."  
I whispered in her tiny ear, righting a daisy in one of her curls.

"Walking all that way on your own!"  
She giggled and clapped her hands. Christian had gone to stand by Isla and had wrapped his arms around her shoulders, lying his head on top of hers. She in turn had wrapped her arms around his torso and was lying her head on his shoulder.

"Are you coming in the water father?"  
He asked quietly.

"No he is not. And neither are you. You'll get filthy and cold."  
Christian pouted at Isla's answer on my behalf.

"Are you not going in because you were hurt?"  
He asked me quietly. I nodded.

"Mother, Auntie Belle and Uncle Jack are in the water, why can't I go in?"  
He tried again. Isla shook her head again and Christian looked like he was going to get upset. Before Isla could speak I placed Rosalie on the pile of cushions and stood.

"It can't do us much harm lad, come on."  
I tugged my boots off and offered Christian my hand, he grinned and wriggled out of his mother's arms to pull his socks and shoes off and take it.

"John you're not serious. Think about this."  
She gasped. I smiled reassuringly at her.

"I have, we'll be fine I did ride here if you're so concerned and that didn't take any extreme strength. I just want to dunk Jack and I'll be right back."  
She sighed and pulled Rosalie onto her lap, when I turned I heard her muttering something about how 'silly papa and Christian were' which made me chuckle. Not only did I think it was odd that Isla wanted Rosalie to call me and her 'mama and papa' because she thought it was cute for a girl to do that, but Isabelle and their father were agreeing and referring to me and Isla as 'mama and papa' when talking to Rosalie.

Christian and I reached the deeper part of the pool and I jumped in, completely drenching my clothes and bobbed about, gesturing for Christian to jump in too. He did, and I caught him since he wasn't that good a swimmer yet. Isabelle had left Jack to go over to Isla on the blanket and dry off no doubt, so he came over to us and jumped in, causing a big splash which amused Christian.

"Shouldn't you be taking things easy invalid?"  
Jack addressed me cockily.

"I am."  
I replied with just as much ego lacing my tone as his. Jack laughed and splashed me.

"No you're not, you're in here like a child."  
I grinned.

"Well I'm not doing much here am I? So far I'm just talking to you, I would never dream of doing anything strenuous after promising my dear wife I wouldn't."  
I laughed, as did Jack at our bantering but Christian clearly didn't understand.

"But I thought you…"  
His wreckage of my plans was cut off by me pushing his head under the water. He came back up gulping in a breath and shook the water droplets off his head like a dog.

**Isla POV:**

I watched the three in the water carefully, intent on getting up to go over there when John pushed Christian under but he came back up again and didn't show any signs of shock.

"Isla leave them to it, they'll be fine."  
Isabelle laughed quietly. I looked at her and smiled, she was lounging half on half off the pile of cushions throwing an apple up and catching it.

"That's easy for you to say, you didn't see John when they brought him home. Isabelle there was blood everywhere, he was covered in it."  
I whispered. Rosalie started to fuss at what I was describing, she had reacted the worst to her papa's state of health than myself or Christian and had spent many hours in floods of tears, having to be consoled by John over the five weeks he was bedridden. When he was finally able to get up and walk around on his own she had finally perked up, seeing him about again was a relief, despite how limited the distances were to start with.

Isabelle started pulling the daisies out of my daughter's fluffy curls and making a pile of them in front of her. I raised an eyebrow and Rosalie protested at the theft of her flowers.

"Be patient little angel."  
Isabelle laughed and tapped her little button nose with a daisy, making her giggle.

"Isabelle, what are you doing?"  
I asked, curious.

"I'm making a daisy chain, like mother taught us."  
She replied, not taking her eyes off the flowers in her hands I ran my hand through Rosalie's soft hair to get rid of any more daisies that might have been hidden. She smiled up at me and I lay back into the cushions with Isabelle.

"So how is Elmont in comparison to past days?"  
Isabelle asked quietly. I didn't stop my playing with my daughter to answer.

"Getting by as he does."  
Meaning he recovers at a ridiculously fast pace.

"Good."  
Isabelle sighed and I winced when Rosalie bit my finger. She couldn't help it and I had poked her bottom lip, but the appearance of teeth had been a source of joy for John since they deterred Rosalie from sucking her thumb.

"I was attacked this morning. While getting dressed. John thought it a good idea to creep up behind me, pick me up and throw me on the bed. He quickly followed me and wrapped me up in the covers like a child."  
Isabelle laughed and Rosalie wriggled off my lap to stand next to me, holding on to my hands for support.

"I take it you didn't enjoy this."  
Isabelle giggled and I made a face of amazement at my daughter when she showed me a little flower she had crawled off to pick.

"Well, I did to start with, but that cover does get very hot and he was trapping me inside and tickling me."  
Isabelle snorted in a very unladylike fashion and I handed her Rosalie's flower which she added in to the little circlet she was now making.

"Sounds like you had a fun morning then."  
She giggled and Rosalie came back with more flowers which were handed to her aunt and she came back to sit on my lap.

"I did. Until Christian fell out of bed, mind you that was quite funny too."  
I chuckled and Rosalie stood up on my thighs, looking quite proud of herself if that's even possible.

"How can your son falling out of bed be funny?"  
Isabelle asked, finally looking up from the flowers.

"There was a bang and a surprised yell, we were both quite concerned and shot off down the corridor, when we got to his room, he was sat on the floor, smothered in his blanket, it was half over his face and one leg was poking out. But Isabelle, he looked so confused, the only thing he said when he saw us was "What happened" but he was still half asleep so it was slurred and drowsy."  
I chuckled and Rosalie's arms descended on my shoulders while Isabelle laughed.

"So did he figure out what had happened?"  
She asked once her laughter had stopped.

"He didn't register he was on the floor until John untangled him from his covers."  
I grinned at Rosalie and pulled her closer.

Isabelle laughed more but our attention was caught by a yell in the direction Jack, John and Christian were swimming.  
Neither of us had been watching so we hadn't noticed Jack climb out, followed by John, or John pick Jack up and throw him in, he was stood on the grass, dripping wet laughing, as was Christian in the water. Jack surfaced, spluttering for breath and just glared at John while he pulled Christian out. Jack swam to get out too but was pushed back in by my laughing husband and son.

"John don't be cruel, let him out."  
I called, laughing myself. Both he and Christian turned round to me. I couldn't help but admire the way John's trousers clung to his legs now they were wet, or how his shirt stuck to his torso, highlighting every muscle contour. I shuddered involuntarily when random thoughts slipped through my mind about many nights spent tracing those muscles, completely breathless with my heart racing, his composure in exactly the same state as mine-shreds.  
He and Christian bounded up to us but I clung to Rosalie tighter.

"You're not coming near us until you've dried off!"  
I laughed and their enthusiasm dropped.

"Fine, be like that. Do we have another blanket?"  
John pouted jokingly and found one in the basket. He stripped his shirt off, leaving little droplets of water streaming down his chest.

"John put your shirt back on."  
I burst out. He was being impossible.

"Why, you've never complained before."  
He chuckled and threw it over a branch. He did the same with Christian's shirt, he had finally put back on all the weight he had lost while ill so he didn't look as skeletal anymore.  
The blanket was used as a towel to dry off their chests and hair then was spread out on the ground in the sun and Christian was told to lie on it to dry off- it wouldn't take long since the day was scorching. Jack jogged up to us with his shirt off too and whipped John on the back with it.

"What was that for?"  
John turned to him with his arms spread wide.

"I just got that bit dry."  
Jack was not impressed.

"Good. Struggle."  
Jack chuckled and flopped down next to Christian.

"Isn't papa silly?"  
I whispered to Rosalie. She pulled away from me slightly and smiled.

"Pa. pa."  
John whipped round and we both stared at her. Isabelle had looked up from her flowers and was gaping at her niece.

"Say that again sweetheart."  
I whispered, unable to stop smiling. Rosalie repeated herself and before I could register anything John had pulled her out of my arms and was waltzing her around the clearing and peppering her little face with kisses. He put her back down on the blanket and lay down on his front near her, he hadn't stopped smiling. He was whispering something to her and twirled her round to face me and she held her arms out to me and I kissed her cheek. She started mumbling a series of 'm's which eventually transformed into 'mama'. I hugged my baby girl tight and kissed her sift cheek repeatedly.

Isabelle reached over to put the little halo of flowers on Rosalie's head and looked up at Jack who was watching her closely.

My eyes flicked back and forward between them both. John's eyes followed mine as realisation dawned. Christian was obviously confused and Rosalie had wriggled off my lap to crawl over to him. She curled into him and his arm wrapped around her little body. He was a fantastic older brother, just like I thought he was going to be before she was born.  
Isabelle's eyes shifted over to where my two children were curled up together giggling happily and quietly at Christian's whispers to her.

I studied my sister's face carefully, trying to find the right time to blurt out what I had just realised.  
Isabelle caught my eye and grinned widely.

"Yes Isla?"  
She asked quietly. I gaped at her.

"How could you not tell me?"  
I whispered. Her smile grew.

"I was going to tell you today."  
She giggled. I smiled too.

"Does father know?"  
She shook her head.

"The whole of Cloister would know if father knew. We're going to tell him tonight."  
My smile grew and I pulled her towards me in a fierce hug.

"Why are you so excited? Aren't you already an aunt?"  
She giggled. John patted Jack good naturedly on the back, both of them were grinning widely.

"Sarah, Louisa, Michael and Mary don't count, we never see them because they live so far away."  
John answered Isabelle who just nodded against my shoulder.

"I'm so happy Isla, I understand how you felt now when you found out about Christian."  
She whispered, her voice was thicker than it had been before.

Isn't it wonderful."  
I whispered back once we parted. She nodded and Jack came up to sit behind her and wrap his arms around her. I looked over to Christian and Rosalie who had now fallen quiet.

"John are they asleep?"  
No answer. He was just staring at our two children.

"John!"  
I hissed and tapped his back with my foot. He hummed and looked up at me, slightly dazed.

"Are they asleep?"  
I whispered, crawling over to lie next to him on the grass, surprisingly his trousers had dried already.

"Yes. Christian just went."  
He whispered back once I had settled on my stomach next to him.

"What were you thinking about so deeply then?"  
I asked, smiling widely. He kissed my temple and rested his head against mine.

"Life."  
His answer was simple.

"What time is it?  
He asked quietly.

"I really have no idea, but I don't think we should go yet. Let them sleep for a while."  
I whispered back and picked Rosalie up to put her in the pile of cushions, John followed with Christian, but put his now dry shirt back on him along with his shoes. Both children curled back together like they had been before. Rosalie's flowers had fallen off her head and were lying on the grass close to where the blanket had been. John picked them up and placed them gently next to his sleeping children.

"They look so innocent."  
I whispered to him once we had settled back on the spare blanket.

"They do, but you will insist on dressing them in white whenever possible."  
John chucked. I hit his shoulder playfully.

"They're young, they should be like that."  
I stated matter-of-factly. He nodded and slipped an arm around my waist.

"So Jack and Isabelle?"  
He chuckled.

"I know, I wouldn't have expected it so soon."  
I answered. He hummed and his arm tightened.

"Isla?"  
I hummed in response.

"Love you."  
He whispered and kissed my neck.

"Love you too dear."  
I whispered back.

"I really don't say that enough."  
He muttered against my ear.

"You say it almost every day."  
I replied.

"This may be. But it's not enough."  
I sighed in perfect contentment. We were silent for a while.

"What are you thinking about?"  
He asked gently. Jack and Isabelle were talking in whispers, his hands were curled over her stomach and she was leaning on his chest.

"Life."  
I replied. He chuckled at my repetition of his previous thought topic and kissed my temple.  
Hopefully this good lasts, after the past year we need it I think, or am I biased.

**The cheese was the only way I thought I could end this, hope you enjoyed, please leave your thoughts and I'm sorry for the overuse of 'adorable' but it's such a fun word to say!  
Anyhow, please review…**


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